Pink evening primrose

Pink evening primrose: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, creeping plant 20–30 cm tall that spreads by runners into a mat 50 cm wide or more.

Leaves

Narrowly lance-shaped, slightly toothed or lobed, green to grey-green.

Flower

Cup-shaped flowers of 4–5 cm with four petals, from June to September.

Colour

Soft pink to white with darker pink veins and a yellow centre.

Roots

Underground runners: in loose, rich soil it creeps quickly.

Flowering: June–September · Plants: April–May · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• Flowers all summer, from June to September.
• Drought tolerant: perfect for gravel gardens, dry edges and sunny banks.
• A ground cover for poor, dry soil where little else will grow.
• The open flowers attract bees and other insects.
• Little work: no watering, no feeding, just a tidy-up in March.

Pink evening primrose: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: only then does it flower freely.
• Poor, free-draining soil: sand or loam, acid to chalky. In rich soil it runs rampant and flowers less.
• Dry soil; it dislikes wet soil in winter.
• Plant 40–50 cm apart, in a spot where it is allowed to spread, such as gravel or against a wall.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Catmint: Lavender-blue clouds beside the pink, just as drought tolerant.
• Gaura: Airy white or pink flowers in the same dry, sunny spot; a close relative.
• Feather grass: Soft, swaying stems among the low flowers.
• Woodland sage: Purple-blue spikes in June–July as a contrast.
• Lavender: A fragrant, drought-tolerant shrub beside the pink mat.

Pink evening primrose: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May, when the worst frosts are over and the soil is warming up.
2. Dig a hole slightly wider than the root ball; on heavier soil, mix in grit or coarse sand. No compost or fertiliser.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil.
4. Leave 40–50 cm between plants.
5. To keep it in check, plant it between paving, against a wall or inside a root barrier.
6. Water in straight away and during dry spells in the first weeks; after that, no more.

Care

Water

Only until it is established. After that it looks after itself, even in dry summers.

Feeding

Do not feed: in rich soil it runs rampant and flowers less.

Runners

In spring, pull out or chop off runners that go too far.

Trimming

If it gets a bit untidy in summer, you can shorten the longest stems.

Old stems

Leave the old stems over winter and only tidy them away in March.

Tip: Give it a poor, dry spot and never feed it: it stays compact and flowers all summer. In rich soil it runs rampant and you mainly get leaves.

Pink evening primrose: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, cut away last year’s dead stems, just before new growth starts.

How:

• Cut all old stems back to just above the ground.
• In summer you can shorten long, untidy stems; there is no need to remove spent flowers.
• During the spring tidy-up, chop off any runners that stray outside the space you want it to fill.

Caution: Do not prune in autumn: the old stems protect the plant in winter.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Runners

In April–May: chop off a runner with roots and replant it straight away in its new spot.

Division

In spring, lift the clump and split it into pieces with roots and shoots.

Cuttings

In May–June: root softwood cuttings of 5–8 cm in gritty cutting compost.

Pink evening primrose: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: no problem in most Belgian winters, especially in a dry spot.
• Wet soil in winter is more dangerous than frost: it rots.
• In severe frost without snow, a loose layer of conifer branches or straw can help.
• In a pot: keep it dry and sheltered against a wall in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Spreading: In rich, loose soil it creeps quickly between other plants. Plant it in poor soil and chop off runners every spring.
• Few flowers: Too much shade, too rich a soil or too much water. Give it more sun and stop feeding.
• Root rot: It disappears after a wet winter. Plant in free-draining soil, perhaps among gravel.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in late summer. Usually harmless; cut off affected stems.

Through the year

• March: Cut away old stems. Chop off runners.
• April: Plant. Chop off and replant runners.
• May: Plant. Take cuttings.
• June: Flowering begins.
• July: Full flower. Shorten untidy stems.
• August: In flower. No watering needed.
• September: Last flowers.
• November: Leave the old stems. Cover lightly in severe frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Evening primroses belong to the same family as the fuchsia.
• Gaura, formerly Gaura lindheimeri, has now also been moved into the genus Oenothera.
• Unlike many evening primroses, the flowers of this species often open during the day, so the name evening primrose does not quite fit.