Pollinator plant

Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis

Linked agroforestry plant data
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Common names

46 names · 32 languages
EnglishYour language
+5 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (31)
Dutch
French
Afrikaans
  • gewone nagblom[3]
Belarusian
  • Асліннік двухгадовы[3]
Catalan
  • bella de nit[3]
Cherokee
  • ᎠᎾᏓᏥ[3]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • pupalka dvouletá[3]
Danish
  • Toårig natlys[3]
Estonian
  • kaheaastane kuningakepp[3]
Finnish
  • iltahelokki[3]
German
  • Gemeine Nachtkerze[2][3]
  • Gewöhnliche Nachtkerze[2][3]
  • Gewöhnliche Zweijährige Nachtkerze[2][3]
Hebrew
  • נר-לילה דו-שנתי[3]
Hungarian
  • parlagi ligetszépe[3]
Italian
Japanese
  • メマツヨイグサ[3]
  • 雌待宵草[3]
Korean
  • 달맞이꽃[3]
Latvian
  • Divgadīgā naktssvece[3]
Lithuanian
  • Dvimetė nakviša[3]
Norwegian
Ojibwe
  • Wezaawaanagak+wag[3]
Polish
  • Wiesiołek dwuletni[3]
Russian
  • Ослинник двулетний[3]
  • Энотера двулетняя[3]
Slovak
  • pupalka dvojročná[3]
Slovenian
  • dvoletni svetlin[3]
Spanish
Swedish
  • nattljus[3]
  • äkta nattljus[3]
Turkish
  • Ezançiçeği[3]
Ukrainian
  • Енотера дворічна[3]
Welsh
  • Melyn yr hwyr[3]
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Oenothera biennis — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Evening Primrose — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Oenothera biennis.
  • Common Evening Primrose — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Oenothera biennis.
  • King's Cure All — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Oenothera biennis.
[2] Oenothera biennis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • onagre bisannuelle — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • common evening primrose — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Gemeine Nachtkerze — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Gewöhnliche Nachtkerze — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Gewöhnliche Zweijährige Nachtkerze — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • common evening-primrose — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • evening star — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • evening-primrose — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • German Rampion — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Noćurak — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • onagra común — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Enagra comune — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Middelste teunisbloem — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • teunisbloem — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
[3] Oenothera biennis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • onagre bisannuelle — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • common evening primrose — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Gemeine Nachtkerze — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Gewöhnliche Nachtkerze — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Gewöhnliche Zweijährige Nachtkerze — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • common evening-primrose — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • evening star — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • evening-primrose — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • German Rampion — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Noćurak — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • onagra común — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Enagra comune — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Middelste teunisbloem — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • teunisbloem — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • iltahelokki — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • 달맞이꽃 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • bella de nit — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Wiesiołek dwuletni — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • pupalka dvouletá — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • メマツヨイグサ — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Dvimetė nakviša — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • 月見草 — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Toårig natlys — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Ослинник двулетний — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Энотера двулетняя — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • nattlys — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Wezaawaanagak+wag — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • kaheaastane kuningakepp — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • 月见草 — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • nattljus — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • äkta nattljus — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • dvoletni svetlin — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • נר-לילה דו-שנתי — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Енотера дворічна — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Асліннік двухгадовы — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • gewone nagblom — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Divgadīgā naktssvece — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • parlagi ligetszépe — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • ᎠᎾᏓᏥ — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Ezançiçeği — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • 雌待宵草 — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • pupalka dvojročná — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
  • Melyn yr hwyr — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 62207; Oenothera biennis.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Onagraceae

Genus-level classification for Oenothera; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Oenothera biennis.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
0.91–1.52 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.61–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Biennial; Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
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 State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Occasionally Dry

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Eastern and central North America.

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, pollinators, specialized bees.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Herbaceous
Size
Small
Dimensions
1.20 m high × 0.00 m wide
Lifecycle
Biennial

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
4-8
Moisture
Well-drained, Moist
Soil
Sandy, Loamy
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Flowers, Leaves, Oil, Root, Seed capsule
Functions
Cosmetic, Dye, Oil, Pollinator plant, Fragrant
Edibility
3 out of 5
Medicinal value
5 out of 5

Cooked carrots are often eaten as salsify or parsnips due to their fleshy, sweet, peppery, and juicy flavor, and because they are healthy and nutritious. Young shoots, both raw and cooked, also have a peppery taste, but due to their sliminess, it is recommended to consume them in moderation or even avoid them altogether. The sweet flowers of the plant can be used in salads or as a garnish. The young seed pods can be boiled or steamed, and the seeds are a good source of gamma-linolenic acid. However, harvesting the small seeds is difficult and labor-intensive, resulting in generally low yields, and therefore the product is considered expensive.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Oenothera — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 1897932; ID 63FVB; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Oenothera biennis — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative rangeReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .