Pink Evening-primrose

Oenothera speciosa

Found in grasslands, prairies, glades, roadsides and fields, also cultivated as an ornamental. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 71%

Height: 18–24 inches
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Oenothera speciosa — bloom photograph — (c) Martin Scheuch, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Deciduous

Not yet recorded · Spread · Bloom

Recorded in 35 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Barrens grassland after a prescribed fire. Shown: Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, a neighboring state.Barrens native plants returning after prescribed fire, September 2020, NPS Photo / Rick Olson, September 2020. Public domain. Source record.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

17CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Oenothera

Amphion floridensisNessus Sphinx
Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
Atroposia oenotheranaPrimrose Cochylid
Desmia funeralisGrape Leaffolder Moth
Eudryas unioPearly Wood-Nymph
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Mompha circumscriptellaCircumscript Mompha
Mompha eloisellaRed-Streaked Mompha
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer

Show all 17

Schinia floridaPrimrose Flower Moth, Evening Primrose Flower Moth
Spargania magnoliataDouble-Banded Carpet
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)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Onagraceae
Hardiness: Zones 5a–8b
Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline
Flower color: Pink or white

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

Growing sources and scope

Flower color · “Pink or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Hardiness · “Zones 5a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “18–24 inches” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
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, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
Soil pH · “Neutral to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Pink Evening primrose; Pink Ladies; Showy Evening Primrose

Conservation status

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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