Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa)

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers heat and dryish soils. Tolerates poor soils, light shade and some drought. If plant foliage depreciates in summer after flowering, stems may be cut back to the basal rosette. Easily grown from seed and may self-seed in the garden. Slowly spreading rosettes.
Oenothera fruticosa, commonly called sundrops or southern sundrops, is an erect, day-flowering member of the evening primrose family. It is native to eastern North America. It typically grows 15-30” tall and produces terminal clusters of bright yellow four-petaled flowers in late spring on stems clad with lanceolate green leaves (1-3” long). Rosette leaves (to 1-4” long) are oblanceolate. Flowers are followed by distinctive club-shaped seed capsules. Flowers bloom during the day, hence the appropriate common name of sundrops. Each flower is short-lived, but flowers bloom in succession over a fairly long period of two months.
Native Range: Eastern North America
Zone: 3 to 8
Height: 1.50 to 2.50 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 1.50 feet
Bloom Time: July to September
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought