Enotera Perennial: Planting And Care (pink, Shrub, Etc.) + Photo And Video

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Perfect garden decoration: how to plant and care for perennial evening primrose

Enotera is called the "queen of the night" or "night candle" because it blooms in the dark. The common name is donkey. Although evening primrose is considered a simple plant by many growers, this beautiful flower is very popular and is often used for the foreground of flower beds. Today we will talk about how to plant perennial evening primrose and take care of it during the growth period.

Perennial evening primrose: what is this plant

Perennial evening primrose is a native of the fireweed family, which includes about a hundred species of various biennial and perennial plants. Evening primrose height - from 25 to 130 cm, erect stem, with simple leaves up to 25 cm long.

The flowers are usually yellow in color, but there are varieties of pink, white and blue hues. Evening primrose is especially pleasant with its aroma. It is planted in flower beds, lawns, and also grown for cutting.

The perennial evening primrose has a powerful root system, which is very important to consider when leaving. The peculiarity of the plant is that it blooms all season. Flowers replace each other, blooming in the evening and crumbling in the morning to make way for new ones.

Enotera is not only yellow, but also pink or blue

Enotera is not only a beautiful ornamental plant, it also has healing properties. It is used in the manufacture of medicines and traditional medicine. Decoctions of leaves and flowers will help with indigestion, and infusion of evening primrose root is used to wash wounds and bruises.

There are many perennial evening primrose varieties, but in our latitudes three species have become widespread, very easy to care for and unpretentious.

1. Large-flowered evening primrose. This tall plant can grow to a height of 2 meters. The flowers are large, bright yellow, with a pronounced aroma.
2. Missouri evening primrose. Refers to a stunted species. The flowers are small, yellow, and resemble cups in shape. The bush, growing, blooms from June until the first frost. The smell of evening primrose Missouri is delicate, with a hint of citrus.
3. Shrub evening primrose. The bush of this variety grows up to 1.5 meters in height. Flowers are small, up to 3 cm in diameter, yellow in color.

Enotera is unpretentious in cultivation, but still demanding on the soil. This is very important to remember both when planting and leaving. This plant prefers well-lit places, but grows well in partial shade conditions.

Planting features

The composition of the soil for evening primrose is not very important, it can grow in almost any soil. But it is very important to pay special attention to loosening and drainage of the soil.

Prepare the selected area carefully before planting evening primrose:

• add about 3 kg of humus per 1 square meter to the soil;
• add 2 tablespoons of nitrophosphate to the same area;
• dig up the soil to a depth of about 15 cm;
• water thoroughly.

The most convenient way to grow seedlings from seeds is from February

Please note that when planting, you need to maintain a distance between the bushes of at least half a meter. So the plants will not interfere with each other during the growth period

1. Evening primrose seeds are small, but, despite this, retain their properties for 3-4 years. The most reliable way of growing is through seedlings. Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 5 mm. At the same time, gardeners are advised to mix them with sand. Subsequently, it is necessary to carry out thinning.
2. Seeds planted in the garden for the first year will give rosettes formed from leaves. Flowering and subsequent ovary of bolls will come in the second year. This is the reason why growers prefer perennial evening primrose, especially shrub and quadrangular.
3. If you decide to grow seedlings from seeds in a room environment, then the seedlings should be planted in February. This will allow them to be planted in the ground in May. Provide the plant with good care with this planting option, and it is likely to delight you with flowering already this year.
4. You can also plant evening primrose by dividing the bush. For example, your neighbors have a mature plant that they decide to plant. In this case, the planting material is young shoots that have formed around an adult bush. For them, dig shallow holes (about 15-18 cm) in the prepared and fertilized area at a distance of 50 cm from each other, water them and plant the shoots.

Evening primrose care during growth and development

Young shoots at the roots of the evening primrose are actively tied, so the plant, during its growth, can displace the garden flowers that are nearby. To avoid this, pick off wilted flowers as often as possible.

In order for evening primrose to grow quickly and please with lush flowering, it needs fertilizing with mineral complex fertilizers. In summer, before flowering begins, add 1 tablespoon of superphosphate per 1 sq. M. plot planted with evening primrose.

When flowering begins, use special fertilizer for flowering plants, which can be purchased at specialty or hardware stores, or add 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate to the soil. The use of wood ash is allowed, 2 tablespoons per 1 sq.

Good evening primrose growth and flowering depends on watering and timely fertilization

Do not forget that after fertilizing the soil, the plant requires good watering, about 10-15 liters per 1 sq.

It is very important to properly care for evening primrose in the fall. Root the plant and lay a layer of peat or compost around it. From 5 cm thick.

In autumn, as in spring, adult bushes are dug up, divided and transplanted. This helps to "rejuvenate" the bushes. In this case, the young growth that surrounds the mother plant, if necessary, must be separated. Evening primrose transplants well, even during flowering.

On a flowerbed, perennial evening primrose will look great with Veronica, bells, astilba, labelia and ageratum.

Video about caring for perennial evening primrose

From our articles, you already know that turning your site into a beautiful blooming garden is an easy and exciting task. We hope, thanks to our advice, evening primrose will take its rightful place in your flower bed. Share with us in the comments your experience of growing this plant. Good luck and pleasant summer days!