Oenothera - Evening Primrose



There is a tall 'weed' that was growing behind our other plants in the main garden.   I noticed the other evening that the weed had yellow flowers blooming that I had not seen there before.  The plant itself was almost six feet tall and resembled the 'headknocker' weeds that grow here.  However, those plants do not have flowers like this.  

I took a piece off of one and brought it inside to put in a vase.  It sat all day with the flowers closed, although some parts of it had changed overnight.  Tonight, well after sunset, the snippet of flower was blooming with a larger flower than I had seen, even when I removed it from the plant.  It occurred to me that perhaps the plant was blooming at night?

So, what was this weed?

It is not a weed. 
It is a native evening primrose.  Of course it is blooming at night!
I have one other primrose in the pole garden, a low-growing pink one.

Now, I'll have to watch for the pods which will develop the seeds.


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