Calflora Taxon Report
Oenothera elata Kunth
Evening primrose, Hooker's evening primrose
Oenothera elata is a perennial herb that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.

Alternate Names and Sources:
None
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Bloom Period
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Accepted by: JEPS + PLANTS + POWO
Jepson eFlora section:
eudicot
USDA PLANTS group:
Dicot

Occurs usually in wetlands, occasionally in non wetlands
wetland-riparian

[Wikipedia] Habitat, Description, Uses: Oenothera elata is a species of Oenothera known by the common name Hooker's evening primrose or tall evening primrose. Subspecies include hookeri, hirsutissima, longisima, jamesii, villosa and elata.[1] It is native to much of western and central North America. The plants are quite tall, especially the hookeri subspecies, native to California, which can reach about 1.8 meters (6 feet) height.[2] The plants are found along roadsides, in moist meadows, or woodland, from sea level up to 9,000 ft (2,700 m) in elevation.[3] Description The stout, usually reddish stem has many long, narrow leaves, above a basal rosette. At its top is a large, open cluster of 2- to 4-inch wide yellow flowers with 4 large petals and protruding yellow stamens and 4-branched pistil, often covered in sticky pollen. The fragrant flowers open at dusk and wilt the next morning, turning orange or red.[3] Uses The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered flower of the hookeri subspecies and saliva at night to swellings.[4] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

Suggested Citation
“Calflora - Taxon Report.” The Calflora Database, a non-profit organization. .

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