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Narrowleaf Sundrops

Oenothera fruticosa

82
Keystone

Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
16–18 inches
Spread
1–3 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 2 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 25 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Biennial or perennial
Leaves
Deciduous or evergreen
Bloom
Summer
Fruiting season
Summer to fall

Recorded in 21 Florida counties.

Care

  • Provide good drainage in winter.
Care sources
Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

20CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Oenothera

  • Amphion floridensisNessus Sphinx
  • Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
  • Atroposia oenotheranaPrimrose Cochylid
  • Desmia funeralisGrape Leaffolder Moth
  • Eudryas unioPearly Wood-Nymph
  • Euhagena emphytiformisGaura Borer Moth
  • Eumorpha fasciatusBanded Sphinx
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Mompha albocapitellaWhite-Based Mompha
Show all 20
  • Mompha circumscriptellaCircumscript Mompha
  • Mompha eloisellaRed-Streaked Mompha
  • Proserpinus gauraeProud Sphinx
  • Schinia floridaPrimrose Flower Moth, Evening Primrose Flower Moth
  • Schinia gauraeClouded Crimson
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Dichomeris agonia
  • Mompha brevivittella
  • Mompha stellella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
23BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Oenothera

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
4Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Oenothera

  • Lasioglossum aberrans
  • Lasioglossum lusorium
  • Lasioglossum oenotherae
  • Melissodes fimbriatus
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
5BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Oenothera

  • Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Ortalis vetulaPlain Chachalaca
  • Tympanuchus pallidicinctusLesser Prairie-Chicken
  • Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Beetles 2
  • Centrinus scutellum album
  • Diabrotica 12-punctata

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Flies 3
  • Eristalis latifrons
  • Sphaerophoria cylindrica
  • Syrphus americanus

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Adult butterflies / moths 2
  • Limochores taumas
  • Pontia protodice

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Onagraceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Several stems
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox · Species profile fruit display season; not a local ripening date
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox · Species profile fruit display season; not a local ripening date
  • Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “16–18 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, USDA PLANTS, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
  • Leaves · “Deciduous or evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Life cycle · “Biennial or perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
  • Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
  • primary_flower_color · “yellow” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
  • Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
  • Spread · “1–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as

Narrow Leaf Evening Primrose

Conservation status

Florida rankSNR
Global rankG5
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources