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

See Examples For:

evening primrose

In Borrego Springs, you’ll find a mini explosion of sunflowers, desert sand-verbena, basket evening primrose and even elusive desert lilies.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026

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

"Look!" cried Dorothy, "close beside that mullein is an evening primrose, and their blossoms are the same color."

From Dorothy Dainty at the Mountains by Brooks, Amy