Mexican evening primrose makes gardens pretty in pink

Masses of pink blooms can be seen in landscapes all over northern Nevada. Oenothera speciosa or Mexican evening primrose is a hardy, drought-tolerant flower widely used in harsh sites such as rock borders, slopes, parking strips and other hot spots in a landscape. Its name misleads as this primrose does open beautifully in the daytime, unlike its close relative, the yellow evening primrose, which opens only early in the morning and at night.

This plant is native to the southwest United States as well as Mexico. The 2-inch fragrant flowers are white to pink in color. It blooms quite heavily from spring to at least midsummer, sometimes reblooming in fall. This makes it an outstanding choice for long-lasting color. The blooms attract bees, butterflies and birds. It can reach 1-2 feet in height and 3 feet or more in width, spreading by underground stems. It is also a prolific reseeder, often causing headaches to gardeners when it spreads widely out of its initial planting site.

This reseeding tendency makes this plant aggressive and invasive. For me, this aggressive tendency is an advantage as the plant reseeds itself around my yard bringing color to every corner.

Moreover, I don't have to do anything, except plant the original few plants. However, your neighbors may not like it when this fast-moving plant establishes in their yards. The good news is that it is easy to pull or hoe out.

Another option to prevent excessive spread is to cut off the flowers when they finish blooming before the seedpods form.

The Mexican evening primrose requires little to no maintenance, if you don't count pulling out unwanted specimens when they escape your planting plan. This hardy perennial thrives in full sun, with regular watering. Avoid overwatering because it will rot. The plants do well if cut back every couple of years to a few inches above the ground. This encourages a flush of new growth and eliminates the sometimes "leggy" appearance.

Varieties include a pure white flower called Alba, a light pink named Rosea, the pink Siskiyou and the Woodside White with chartreuse spotting inside.

For large masses of color, low maintenance and reduced water use, try the Mexican evening primrose. Pull out unwanted seedlings to keep it in check, then sit back and enjoy.

JoAnne Skelly is the Carson City/Storey County Extension educator for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and may be reached at skellyj@unce.unr.edu or 887-2252.