An evening primrose blooming in South Amherst. Or is it a different flower?
These yellow blossoms are supposed to open in the evening, just as the name suggests (There are some varieties that open their blossoms during the day). They’re a common but lovely sight in open fields and along roadsides in late summer.
Can anyone tell us if we have the right name for this flower, because there it was, wide open, mid-morning. It was quite a cloudy day, so could that explain it?
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is native to North America and thrives in well-drained soil with full sun, conditions found throughout the Pioneer Valley.
The plant typically blooms from mid-July through September. Its flowers open in the evening and close by midday, attracting moths and other nighttime pollinators.
You’ll often find evening primrose growing wild near farmland or along trails like those in the Lawrence Swamp conservation area or on the Norwottuck Rail Trail. The plant is also known for its historical and medicinal uses; its seeds are a source of evening primrose oil, used in some herbal remedies.
For more on local plants and their ecology, check out resources from the UMass Amherst Herbarium or visit the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, which offers seasonal plant walks and nature programs.
