evening primrose

American  

noun

1. a plant, Oenothera biennis, having yellow flowers that open at nightfall.

2. any of various plants of the same or related genera.

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evening primrose British  

noun

1. any onagraceous plant of the genus Oenothera , native to North America but widely cultivated and naturalized, typically having yellow flowers that open in the evening

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Etymology

Origin of evening primrose

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

The desert sunflowers, purple sand verbena and white dune evening primrose were spectacular.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2024

At field sites in eastern Washington, the researchers collected scent samples from pale evening primrose flowers.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2024

Mexican evening primrose is a beautiful pink-flowering ground cover that is still sold in garden centers and nurseries, but it is also extremely invasive.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 23, 2023

The pollen grains of various common plants like sunflower, morning glories, prairie hollyhock, oriental lily, evening primrose and castor bean — magnified 500 times and colorized in this image — display intricate patterns.

From Salon • Sep. 23, 2022

Now the evening primrose at the side of the road has folded all its yellow petals, marking the near approach of noon.

From Some Summer Days in Iowa by Lazell, Frederick John