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

She began adding Cleveland sage, white sage, evening primrose, yellow lupine and other native plants in earnest, removing dead or poor-performing non-natives.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 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

"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