Don’t make the same mistake Grumpy did.
Asthe saying goes, “Heavens to Betsy!”
Vast sweeps of this flower bloom each spring on roadsides, banks, and fields.
Credit: Getty Images
Perhaps it sends a warning, “Plant me in your garden, and I will devour it.
A to-go box will not be necessary.”
What Is Pink Evening Primrose?
Each flower lasts one day.
My battle with this monster began a decade ago when a wayward seedling popped up in myperennial bed.
It subsequently flowered so gloriously that, like a common dolt, I left it there.
What I didn’t realize is that every bloom drops lots of seeds.
A pink primrose tsunami swept over my garden the following spring, choking the phlox and drowning thedaylilies.
The flowers also are known for invading sidewalks and driveway cracks, making pulling them an exceptionally difficult task.
How To Remove Pink Evening Primrose
What to do?
I pulled up all remaining stems I could findit was surprisingly easy to do.
However, any bit of root remaining in the ground grows into another patch that surfaces the following year.
Primrose removal can take multiple growing seasons, so you will need to keep at it.
Do not say, “It’s a native plant, so it must be good.”
The plant also thrives in poor soil and fits right into a cottage garden.
Sundrops (O. fruticosa)will spread but aren’t aggressive.
Sundrops like well-drained, moderately fertile soil.Either of these plants makes a good choice for a Southern garden.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas.Oenothera speciosa.
Updated February 21, 2023.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
Oenothera fruticosa.North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
