Oenothera deltoides, Dune Evening Primrose
Scientific Name: Oenothera deltoides
Common Name: Dune Evening Primrose
Also Called: Birdcage Eveningprimrose, Birdcage Evening-primrose, Dune Primrose
Family: Onagraceae, Evening Primrose Family
Synonyms: ()
Status: Native
Duration: Annual perennial ;
Size: Up to 3 feet, usually smaller.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; loosely in a rosette, stems either decumbent or erect.
Leaves: Green; obovate to oblanceolate, margins sub-entire or lobed, herbage sometimes glandular
Flower Color: White; large showy flowers, white petals fade to pink, flowers nodding from upper axils.
Flowering Season: February to April.
Elevation: Below 2,500 feet; below 5,500 in California.
Habitat Preferences: Sandy open areas, often dunes in California, rocky cliffs and rocky hillsides.
Recorded Range: Dune Evening Primrose is found mostly in the southwestern United States in AZ, CA, NV, OR, UT. It is also found in northern Baja California and in northwest Mexico. In Arizona, Dune Evening Primrose is found in sandy areas in the central, southwest and northwest parts of the state.
North America & US County Distribution Map for Oenothera deltoides.
U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: No information available.
Threatened/Endangered Information: No information available.
Genus Information: Over 80 species in Oenothera throughout all of North America. 24 or so species in Arizona and California, 28 or so species in New Mexico and 47 or so species in Texas.
The Plant List includes 706 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Oenothera. Of these 150 are accepted species names.
5 sub-species in Oenothera deltoides:
Oenothera deltoides subsp. ambigua, birdcage evening primrose (AZ, NV, UT);
Oenothera deltoides subsp. cognata, birdcage evening primrose (CA);
Oenothera deltoides subsp. deltoides, birdcage evening primrose (AZ, CA, CO, NV, UT);
Oenothera deltoides subsp. howellii, Antioch Dunes evening primrose (CA);
Oenothera deltoides subsp. piperi, Piper's evening primrose (CA, NV, OR).
Comments: Dune Evening Primrose is similar in appearance to Tufted Evening Primrose, Oenothera caespitosa, which is a perennial that grows on rocky slopes and upper elevations.
Also see in Southwest Desert Flora: California Suncup, Oenothera californica; Crownleaf Evening Primrose, Oenothera coronopifolia; Hooker's Evening Primrose, Oenothera elata; Large Yellow Desert Primrose, Oenothera primiveris; Rose Evening Primrose, Oenothera rosea; Mexican Evening Primrose, Oenothera speciosa and Scarlet Beeblossom, Oenothera suffrutescens.