Evening primrose or primrose: a little-known perennial

Evening primrose is a beautiful plant from the fireweed family, the genus has more than 200 species, and its homeland is North America.

Among this diversity, there are both perennial, biennial and annual forms.

Among the names of evening primrose ( night candle, evening candle, evening flower, onager, queen of the night, beautiful evening rose ), the name “donkey tree” stands somewhat apart - the plant received it for the external resemblance of its leaves to donkey ears.

Evening primrose in cooking

Evening primrose root photo

The root of the biennial evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) grows fleshy and thick, like a carrot. It is rich in sugars, starch, inulin, and vitamin C. The roots can be dug up in early spring, peeled and crumbled into salads. Thus, one more thing comes into line with the above nicknames - salad root.

This type of evening primrose is cultivated as a vegetable crop, called rapunzel or rapontica.

The young leaves are also edible and are cooked like spinach. The seeds taste like nuts; when crushed, they are mixed with honey or jam and spread on bread. They are also added to baked goods, but after heat treatment the beneficial properties disappear.

Properties of evening primrose: harm and benefit

Useful properties of evening primrose

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Due to its chemical composition, evening primrose is a medicinal plant. It contains saponins, carotenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, phenol carbonic acids, polysaccharides, anthocyanins, mucus, polyterpenoids, large amounts of vitamin C, as well as macro- and microelements calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, selenium and iron. The roots contain resins, sterols and reducing sugars.

A decoction is prepared from the root, which is used in alternative medicine during the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis and colds. The most valuable oil is evening primrose oil, which is extracted from the seeds. It contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids and proteins. The oil contains a large amount of linolenic acid, which helps reduce the risk of blood clots in blood vessels, and it also has a beneficial effect on the body with eczema, diabetic neuropathy, liver cirrhosis and rheumatoid arthritis. This oil is included in the products used for itchy ichthyosis and diathesis. Products made from evening primrose are used in the treatment of thrombosis, tumors, arthritis, asthma and fungal diseases.

An infusion is prepared from the leaves, which is used as an anticonvulsant, and also for cardiac neuralgia and inflammation of the kidneys. This product has a strengthening and calming effect, and is also used externally as an antimicrobial drug.

To prepare an infusion that is used for diarrhea, take 1 tbsp. just boiled water and 2 tsp. chopped herbs, the infusion will be ready after 1 hour. The strained product should be drunk throughout the day in small portions.

A tincture is prepared from such a plant, which helps with severe dehydration. To prepare it, alcohol is combined with evening primrose herb (4:1), the vessel is tightly sealed and put in a dark, cool place for 21 days to infuse, but do not forget to shake the mixture regularly. The strained product is drunk three times a day, 20–30 drops.

Contraindications

With uncontrolled use of evening primrose, there is a high probability that weakness, nausea and headache will appear. Such drugs are prohibited from being taken by people with epilepsy or schizophrenia. They should not be taken together with phenothiazines and epileptogenic drugs.

Evening primrose in landscape design

Landscapers typically include perennial varieties of evening primrose in flower beds to create contrast. Tall varieties look great in the background of group plantings, while creeping varieties look great in the foreground. In addition, it is possible to use aspen wood in alpine slides, flower beds, ridges, and to decorate gazebos, fences and terraces.

The combination of evening primrose with other flowers in the flowerbed

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Lunnik goes well with many garden plants, both in appearance and in the structure of the root system. It can be planted near peonies, bellflower, brunnera, daylily thickets, ageratum, alyssum, astilbe, speedwell and delphiniums. The best combinations are obtained with flowers whose petals are lilac, red and white.

Important! The main thing that needs to be taken into account is the ratio of the height of the selected varieties of evening primrose and the neighboring plant, so that they do not block each other.

Rules of care

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In a competition for the most unpretentious character, evening primrose would certainly take a prize, because its care is minimal:

• In summer weather typical for mid-latitudes, there is no need to water the plantings. Water supply is required only during prolonged drought.
• Evening primrose does not need intensive feeding. Complex fertilizer for flowering plants is applied under bushes only when flowering is weak.
• At first, the flowerbed needs to be weeded, but when the bushes grow, they themselves will push out the weeds from their territory.
• Be sure to trim off faded blossoms to make room for new buds.

That's all the worries that will make your evening enchantress bloom and smell fragrant until the frosts. In September, when the seed capsules ripen, you can collect evening primrose seed to share with your gardening friends. You don’t have to store seeds for your own needs, but entrust the propagation of the plant... to ants. Industrious insects love to take evening primrose seeds around the garden, so in the spring you will not have a shortage of young shoots. Evening primrose also reproduces vegetatively - by dividing the bush. In May or September-October, dig up an adult specimen, disassemble it into several parts and plant the divisions in pre-prepared holes.

Planting and growing

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Before planting or sowing evening primrose, it is worth deciding on the location of the crop in the garden.

Selecting a location

Evening primrose prefers to grow in light, nutritious soils with neutral acidity. Sites for flowers are suitable in sun or partial shade.

Evening primrose prefers sunny areas. The proximity of groundwater negatively affects flowers. It is worth taking care of a good drainage layer in advance.

The order of sowing seeds and seedlings:

• clear the area of ​​debris and weeds;
• mark the site. To do this, prepare pegs and rope.

Leave a step between pegs of 100 cm, stretch a rope between them to make equal squares.

This is done in order to evenly distribute the fertilizer throughout the area;

• Apply a mixture of fertilizers to each square: 2 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska, 3 kg of humus;
• dig up the area with the bayonet of a shovel and loosen it. Remove the weed from the field. Water the soil;
• when sowing seeds, prepare furrows;
• the seeds are small, so it is better to mix them with sand and sow them in the furrows;
• planting depth up to 5 mm;
• For planting bushes and seedlings, shallow holes are prepared with a pitch of 50 cm.

Evening primrose care

Evening primrose is an unpretentious plant and requires minimal care.

Watering a flower

Evening primrose flowers prefer moderate watering. They cope well with dry summers. After watering, loosen the soil. Remove weeds.

Moderate watering is what this pet needs. In the hot summer season, carry out 2 deep waterings. For 1 sq. meter pour 1.5 buckets of water. Evening primrose will bloom more spectacularly.

Top dressing

The plant is not demanding on soil fertility. For her, it is enough to fertilize 2 times per season. The first fertilizing is applied during planting. Re-fertilize during budding.

Use 1 tbsp as fertilizer. a spoonful of potassium sulfate for each square of soil or wood ash in the same quantity. After fertilizing, water the area generously.

Pruning for rejuvenation

The flower grows in one place for up to 10 years. But rejuvenation should be carried out every autumn and spring. To do this, dig up a bush and divide it into several parts. This promotes better flowering.

In autumn, the above-ground part is pruned down to the base of the ground. Faded buds do not need to be removed if this does not interfere with the aesthetic appearance. Since they do not affect the duration of flowering.

Preparing for winter

Young specimens are covered with dry leaves and spruce branches for the winter.

After cutting, adult specimens are covered with a layer of mulch, in the form of peat or compost.

Evening primrose reproduces vegetatively and by seeds.

How to get evening primrose seedlings

The seedling propagation method allows you to see flowering this year:

• Start sowing seeds at the end of February or beginning of March.
• Prepare containers with substrate where the seeds are sown.
• The top is covered with glass and sent to a dark place for germination.
• As soon as the shoots appear, remove the cover and place the containers in a bright place.
• When two true leaves appear, the seedlings dive.
• In May, seedlings are sent to open ground.

Propagation by seeds

Only perennial varieties are propagated by seeds, since flowering will only occur the next season:

• after preparatory work, in May, planting material is sent into the ground;
• Spray the soil periodically rather than water it. Since the seeds will be washed away by the flow of water;
• When two true leaves appear, a pick is made.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

In autumn and spring, the plant throws out a lot of young shoots.

When dividing the bush, the result of planting will be visible much faster

Therefore, the following work is carried out:

Aphid

The aphid insect is doubly dangerous. It not only affects the flower, but is also a carrier of viral diseases. If liquid clots appear on the bush, the leaves turn yellow and curl, then they have been attacked by aphids.

To combat it, folk remedies are used in the form of solutions with celandine and soap. Among chemical preparations, insecticides should be used.

Fungal diseases

Evening primrose is resistant to diseases, but proximity to other flowers leads to infection. If there are affected areas on the bush, they should be removed. Then the plant will cope on its own.

Flower care

Night primrose is extremely unpretentious. The plant will develop well even on not very fertile soil; it is enough to apply fertilizer regularly. You don’t have to painstakingly care for this flower; it will delight you with bright buds throughout the summer.

Feeding and fertilizer

Although the plant is unpretentious, it still needs to be fed a couple of times during the season. A complex mineral composition or wood ash is quite suitable for this. If you ignore the need to apply fertilizers, then a lack of phosphorus and potassium can lead to shredding of flowers and a shortening of the flowering period. You should also not be overzealous: an overfed plant may begin to grow green mass to the detriment of the formation of flowers, or even get sick.

Watering rules

With normal precipitation levels, it is sufficient for evening primrose to provide infrequent watering. The procedure is carried out no more than once a month, pouring approximately 2 buckets of water per 1 m² of area planted with evening primrose. In case of dry or excessively rainy weather conditions, the watering regime should be adjusted.

Rejuvenation and transplantation

All types of evening primrose tend to grow quickly so that several years after planting in the ground, there are old stems in the center of the bush, and young shoots closer to the outer edge. To prevent the plant from losing its decorative effect, it is recommended to replant it once every 2 years.

Divided evening primrose bush

The soil in the planting areas of the divided bushes is mixed with a certain amount of wood ash. The holes are placed 50 cm apart so that the plant has enough space to grow. When dividing the rhizome, you must act very carefully, otherwise the plant can be seriously damaged.

Pruning evening primrose and preparing for winter

The procedure for pruning evening primrose is performed only once per season - in preparation for winter, all shoots are cut to ground level. After this, the bush is mulched to a height of at least 10 cm with any natural material that is available on the site.

Note! In regions with frosty winters, lunaria is covered with agrotextiles or brought into a cool room for overexposure.

Types and varieties of evening primrose with photos and names

Gardeners cultivate only perennial and biennial species and varieties of evening primrose. In mid-latitude gardens you can find such biennials as:

Evening primrose (Oenothera drummondii)

The height of such a subshrub varies from 0.3 to 0.8 meters. The powerful stem is highly branched. Opposite, whole leaf blades, pointed towards the apex, have an elongated lanceolate shape and a dark green color. The fragrant four-petal flowers reach 70 millimeters in diameter and are yellow in color.

Evening primrose (Oenothera versicolor)

The height of such a biennial plant is about 1.2 meters. The color of the flowers is orange. The variety of this type, Sunset Boulevard, is the most popular among gardeners: the bush reaches 0.35–0.45 meters in height, and from 0.15 to 0.25 meters in diameter, it is decorated with brick-orange flowers.

Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Or evening primrose, or evening primrose "night candle". The shoots of the bush are erect, and they reach a height of 1.2 meters. There are many short hairs on their surface. The entire, sparsely toothed, almost entire, lanceolate-shaped leaf blades are about 20 centimeters long. Flowers of regular shape reach 50 millimeters in diameter; they are part of the terminal racemes. They are painted in a lemon-yellow hue, and open in cloudy weather or in the evening. The most popular variety is this type, Evening Dawn: the height of the bush is approximately 100 centimeters, fragrant flowers of golden color have a red tint.

Evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa)

The height of the bush is about 0.4 meters. The oblong leaf blades have a sparsely toothed edge. The apical few-flowered spikes consist of fragrant cup-shaped flowers, which reach 50 millimeters in diameter; they are white or pink in color.

Evening primrose (Oenothera erythrosepala), or evening primrose Lamarck

The origin of this biennial has not been precisely established to date. There is a version that this species appeared in the Old World as a result of mutation. The height of such a highly branching, erect bush is about 100 cm. The oval-lanceolate smooth leaf plates have a greenish color. Dense racemose inflorescences consist of yellow flowers. This species has been cultivated since the 19th century.

Gardeners cultivate the following perennial species:

Evening primrose (Oenothera missouriensis), or evening primrose

This species is native to south-central North America. The height of the rising shoots varies from 0.3 to 0.4 m. The shape of the dense leaf plates is narrow-lanceolate or oval. Single fragrant flowers, almost lying on the ground, reach about 100 mm in diameter and have a golden-yellow color. This spectacular species has been cultivated since 1811.

Evening primrose (Oenothera perennis = Oenothera pumila)

Its homeland is the eastern part of North America. The height of such a low-growing bush is about 0.25 m. The shape of the leaf blades is narrow-lanceolate, and their width is about 15 mm. Spike-shaped inflorescences consist of yellow flowers that reach approximately 15 mm in diameter. This species has been cultivated since 1757.

Evening primrose (Oenothera tetragona), or Fraser's evening primrose

This plant is native to eastern North America. The height of the bush is about 0.7 m. The shape of the leaf blades is oval, and their color is greenish-blue, while in autumn it changes to pale red. The corymbs consist of fragrant yellow flowers. The most popular varieties are:

• Sonnenwende - the color of the flowers is golden yellow;
• Freeverkeri - buds and shoots are red, and flowers are golden yellow;
• Hoes Licht - flower color is canary yellow.

Evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa)

The homeland of this plant is the east coast of North America. The height of this subshrub is about 1.2 m. The shape of the leaf blades is elongated-oval, and their color is dark green. Yellow fragrant flowers reach 50 mm in diameter. This species has been cultivated since 1737.

Sowing seeds

This method is best for planting perennials. Evening primrose Missouri is one of these species, so it is ideal. The seeds of the plant are very small; first of all, you need to mix them with a small amount of sand and plant them on the prepared area to a depth not exceeding five millimeters.

In the first year, you should not expect flowering; only stems and leaves will appear. Missouri evening primrose will begin to bloom from the second year of life.

You can plant seeds in open ground only when the ground warms up to +15 degrees and there is no danger of frost. When the shoots appear and get a little stronger, it will be necessary to thin out.

Methods of propagation of evening primrose

Growing perennial evening primrose in a garden plot is not difficult. It is propagated in several ways: seedlings are grown from seeds or immediately planted in open ground, and the bush is also divided. The division procedure can be carried out both in spring and autumn, when the plant is not in the flowering phase.

Note! Evening primrose is a flower that can reproduce by self-sowing if ripe seeds are not collected from plants in a timely manner.

Growing evening primrose seedlings from seeds at home

The method of propagation by sowing seeds for seedlings is the most popular. They start it at the end of winter, planting the seeds in any convenient container filled with soil with neutral acidity. The crops are covered with film and placed on a lighted windowsill in a room with a temperature of about 20 ° C, ventilating periodically. When the seedlings grow, each seedling is planted in a separate container.

Young plants are moistened by gentle spraying after the top layer of soil has dried. A couple of weeks before planting in the ground, young plants are hardened by taking them out into the open air.

Sowing night primrose for seedlings

Choosing a landing site

The perennial evening primrose takes root equally well and feels great in sunlit areas and in shady corners of the garden. When choosing a place to plant evening primrose, it is necessary to take into account a number of conditions:

• absence of moisture stagnation in the selected location;
• soil with neutral acidity;
• not too much shading.

Preparing seeds for sowing

To speed up the seed pecking process, it is recommended to stratify them. For this purpose, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator, after being pickled in a fungicidal preparation and wrapped in a damp cloth.

Note! If the procedure is not carried out, this will not reduce the germination rate, but will slow down the appearance of sprouts for a couple of weeks.

Rules for planting evening primrose

When starting to plant evening primrose, dig up the selected area, adding a little humus to the soil. The soil is moistened and seeds are placed in it. The seeds are distributed in planting holes, having previously been mixed with a small amount of river sand.

Evening primrose: planting and care

A plant with bright yellow flowers, called perennial evening primrose, only at first glance seems to be a rather ordinary “simple thing”. Once you see the truly magical process of transforming a bud into a flower, which happens in just a few seconds, you will probably want to plant this plant in your garden.

Such a miracle can be seen in the evening, at dusk. That is why the second name of this amazing flower is “Queen of the Night”. Evening primrose belongs to the fireweed family. Moreover, this name unites about 100 species of plants of varying height and other characteristics, both perennial and biennial.

Evening primrose flowers can be pink, white, yellow and even blue. The next day, the opened inflorescences fade, giving way to new ones. This property allows evening primrose to delight with its flowering throughout the summer.

Most often, flower growers give preference to perennial species of this plant with yellow flowers, namely shrubby and quadrangular. These varieties of evening primrose are quite unpretentious and winter-hardy. Despite their light-loving nature, they grow well in partial shade.

Evening primrose is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but in well-loosened and fertilized areas, well lit by the sun, its flowering will be more luxuriant and longer. The main thing is to remember that the plant cannot tolerate stagnant moisture, which is detrimental to its root system.

Therefore, it is important to select areas with good soil permeability for planting evening primrose.

The plant can be propagated by dividing the bush or by seeds. Before you start planting or sowing evening primrose, you should prepare the area chosen for it. To do this, for 1 sq. m area you need to add about 3 kg. humus, as well as 2 tbsp. l. nitrophoska. Then the soil is dug up 15-18 cm deep and watered thoroughly.

It is worth considering that rosettes of leaves grow from seeds in the first year. Flowering and setting of seed pods occurs in the 2nd year. To obtain bushes that bloom in the first year, you need to sow seeds for seedlings already in February - March, planting young plants in their designated place in May.

The optimal distance between bushes is 50 - 70 cm. In this case, during flowering, young evening primroses are guaranteed not to interfere with each other.

Thanks to the fairly active establishment of young shoots at the roots of the evening primrose and its self-seeding, such a plant can over time displace its neighbors - other garden flowers. To prevent this from happening, pick off wilted flowers.

In addition, it is worth digging around the area planted with the queen of the night some kind of limiters (pieces of sheet iron, slate, etc.) to a depth of 25 cm. In the summer, even before flowering begins, by 1 sq. m. m. area planted with evening primrose should be sprinkled with 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate. After the first flowers bloom, you can use a special fertilizer for flowering plants (for example, such as “Flower”) or 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate. You can also use 2 tbsp. l. ash (wood) added per 1 sq.

m. It is important to remember that after using any fertilizer, abundant watering is necessary (about 10-15 liters of water per 1 sq.

m.).

In the fall, the plant is subjected to radical pruning (at the root), after which a layer of peat/compost is poured around the bush, the thickness of which should be 5-6 cm. In order for your beauty to bloom even more profusely, it is necessary to “rejuvenate” the adult bushes. To do this, in September or May they need to be dug up, divided into several parts and planted in planned areas. At the same time, try not to forget about the need to separate and plant the young shoots surrounding the mother plant. Due to the fact that evening primrose easily tolerates transplantation, such procedures can be carried out even during the flowering of this garden plant.

Evening primrose looks great in group plantings with speedwell, astilbe, colorful bells, lobelia and ageratum. She is also good in bouquets.

Sofia Shevchenko, especially for the Taganrozhenka website.

Diseases and pests of aspen forest

Among the pests for a night candle, aphids are dangerous . If pests are detected, it is necessary to treat the area against ants, and spray the bush itself with insecticides.

Diseases rarely affect evening primrose, but if agricultural practices are violated, the following can develop:

1. Fungal diseases . The main reason for their development is excessive watering.
2. Loss of turgor . Many gardeners, remembering that there is no need to flood the flower, do not water the plant at all.

Popular species and varieties in floriculture

There are about 80 species in the genus Evening Primrose. And only a small part of them is used in gardening.

E. stemless (O. acaulis) is a perennial. It grows naturally in Chile, but has adapted well to Russian latitudes. Has a tap root. The height does not exceed 15 cm. It forms rosettes of lanceolate leaves from which flowers peek out. At night they look like little lights. You can watch the flowers open in the dark; by morning they fade. Propagates well by self-sowing. Despite the fact that the species is frost-resistant, it is advisable to cover the plants for the winter with spruce branches, peat or dry leaves.

E. biennis L. The life cycle of plants is reflected in the name of the species, i.e. biennial In the first year a rosette of leaves is formed, and in the second year a flowering stem appears. The flowers are lemon-colored, sometimes yellow. The stem is erect, the height of the plant can reach 120 cm. Flowering begins in June and lasts throughout the summer. Fruiting from the end of July. It is found in the wild nature of Russia, the Ciscaucasia and the Far East, and can grow on the side of the road and in weedy places. For the winter, it is advisable to cover plants of this species with dry leaves. A popular variety is “Evening Dawn”.

Evening primrose biennial flower

E. beautiful (O. speciosa) is a perennial plant that quickly loses its decorative qualities. It looks very impressive and has a pleasant aroma. Often used for planting in the foreground of flower beds. Height is about 40 cm. It has oblong leaves with sparsely toothed edges. The flowers are cup-shaped, white or pinkish, collected in a spike-shaped loose inflorescence. Flowering occurs in mid-June and lasts 2 months. An unpretentious light-loving plant, afraid of frost.

E. missouriensis (O. missouriensis) is a perennial, the height of which is 30-40 cm. The flowers resemble cups in appearance and have a beautiful golden yellow color. They have a pleasant smell. It blooms later than other species, from about mid-July, for 2 months. Low resistance to frost, requires shelter for the winter period. • E. quadrangular (O. tetragona) is a perennial 0.7 m high. It has an erect stem. Grows from a basal rosette. The leaves are blue-green, oval in shape, turning red in autumn. The flowers are yellow in color and collected in corymbs. The plant blooms from June to August. The species is frost-resistant. Well-known varieties are Fryverkeri, Hohes Licht and Sonnenwende.

E. drummondii (O. drummondii) is a seasonal annual. Height is about half a meter (30-80 cm). The flowers are large (up to 7 cm in diameter), bright yellow. The leaves are light green, entire, pointed, opposite. It can grow on any soil, it is light-loving, but it blooms longer in a shady place. It is not afraid of drought and does not tolerate frost.

Growing and care

Oslinnik is an unpretentious plant, not picky about the composition of the soil. It can grow and bloom profusely both in the wild and in the garden. To plant and care for evening primrose, it is preferable to choose lighted places without stagnant moisture in the soil, since excess moisture can lead to rotting of the root system.

Watering should be periodic, but moderate. In order for the night candle to grow well and bloom profusely, it is necessary to add fertilizer to the soil before planting.

Preparation of evening primrose for the winter period is carried out as follows: the stems should be cut off and the young rosettes should be left. Mulch with dry grass, sawdust, pine needles, etc.

Some species tend to grow quickly, which leads to loss of decorative qualities due to lack of feeding area. The solution to this problem is periodic seating, i.e. dividing bushes, preferably every 4 years.

Evening primrose and gaillardia

Outdoor care

Caring for a night candle does not pose any particular difficulties for either experienced gardeners or beginners.

Watering

Only young plants and seedlings need regular watering. Adult bushes are watered only during prolonged droughts and very high temperatures .

Top dressing

To stimulate the growth of green mass at the beginning of the growing season, the bushes are fed with a solution of manure, and at the time of bud formation, mineral complexes are added .

Care during flowering

To preserve the decorative appearance of the plant at the time of flowering, those buds that have already faded must be removed immediately.

Plant rejuvenation

In one place, a night candle can grow up to 10 years without losing its decorative qualities. But experts recommend annual rejuvenating pruning in the fall (the stems are cut almost to the root).

It is good to regularly divide the bush:

• evening primrose is dug up;
• the root is divided into 2–3 parts;
• are seated in new places.

This procedure promotes abundant flowering.

Mulching the soil

To maintain moisture in the soil and improve its quality, you can mulch a bed with evening primroses . In addition, adding mulch reduces weed activity.

Planting and caring for perennial evening primrose

The plant requires good lighting, but can grow in fairly dark areas. Planting and caring for perennial evening primrose of different species is the same. With regular fertilization and loosening of the soil, the flower tolerates frost well.

The soil for this flower should be quite loose, with sufficient breathability. It is necessary that water does not accumulate in the ground, otherwise it will quickly lead to rotting of the roots of the flower and its death.

At the end of winter, you need to prepare the beds with evening primrose so that it survives the winter well. The above-ground part of the stems is trimmed without sparing. Near the root, the soil is covered with a mulching mixture in a layer of 6-7 cm. You can use compost or peat for these purposes. Pruning not only helps withstand frost, but also regulates the growth of the bush. If this is not done, then the lush evening primrose will “drown out” the neighboring flowers.

Oslinnik does not cause much trouble for its owners when growing. Another big “plus” of this flower is that it rarely gets sick, and pests practically do not settle on it. The only “sore” that haunts yellow flowers is the ubiquitous powdery mildew.

First, all parts of the plant are covered with a whitish coating. Later it darkens, and the affected leaves and buds become brown. The plates curl, dry out, and fall off. The formed buds dry out even before they begin to bloom. In order to prevent powdery mildew, beds with “night primrose” must be treated with sulfur even before the formation of buds. If plaque begins to form, the leaves should be washed with a solution of soap and soda.

In order for the plant to enjoy abundant flowering, it needs fertilizing. The ideal option is complex fertilizers. In summer, superphosphate is added at the rate of a tablespoon per square meter. This must be done before flowering begins. When the yellow buds bloom, you should apply a special fertilizer for flowering plants. It is beneficial to feed evening primrose during this period with wood ash (2 tablespoons per square meter) or potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon per square meter).

Legends about evening primrose and other names

Evening primrose is a perennial with large, cup-shaped flowers. The name of the flower is of Greek origin. It is formed from words literally meaning “wine” and “wild beast.” The legend about evening primrose says: if you sprinkle wine on an evening primrose bud and let any animal inhale its aroma, it will submit to man, becoming tame.

What does an evening primrose flower look like?

For your information! Due to the fact that some natural varieties of the plant bloom only at night, after sunset, evening primrose is called “night candle”, “evening color”, “evening star”, “yellow moonberry”, “summer star”, “night primrose”. Another nickname for the flower, received for the similarity of its leaves to donkey ears, is aspenberry.

How to care for evening primrose in the garden

Evening primrose rosea perennial planting and care photo

How to water an aspen forest

Young, newly planted plants need weekly watering. You will also need to control the growth of weeds until the plants finally take root and get stronger. Mature bushes (especially perennial species) will require moderate, balanced watering: do not allow stagnation of moisture or prolonged drying out of the soil.

Feeding

There is no need to feed evening primrose often. During flowering, add 1 tablespoon of superphosphate and potassium sulfate for each square meter of evening primrose plantings. Another fertilizer option is possible: at the stage of bud formation, add nitrophoska or wood ash.

Pruning a night candle flower

To keep evening primrose bushes looking neat, remove faded corollas regularly. Tall bushes may need staking. In autumn, the stems of perennial species of evening primrose are cut off almost at the root.

Beneficial features

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The oil, seeds and rhizomes of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Preparations based on evening primrose stop inflammatory skin processes, increase vascular tone, lead to normal cholesterol levels in the blood, prevent the formation of blood clots and have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart.

The use of lunar plant in medicine is extensive

Note! The roots of annual evening primrose, which contain large amounts of ascorbic acid, are eaten. They are removed from the soil after wintering and used to prepare vitamin salads.

Growing a plant

Most often, evening primrose is grown from seeds. The plant self-sows easily. Collected seeds can be stored for 2-3 years. Seedlings are first grown from them. First, such small seeds are mixed with sand or sawdust and sown in pots or boxes with sandy-peaty soil. Sowing is done in March to a depth of 5 mm

The soil is carefully moistened and covered with film. Pots should be kept at a temperature of +21…+23°C

Shoots appear in 1-2 weeks. After this, the shelter is removed and the seedlings are transferred to a well-lit place. In mid-April or early May, you can plant in open ground.

Large bushes of perennials should be divided every 3-4 years, since neglected plantings lose their decorative properties and develop fungal diseases. To do this, in October or March, the bush is completely dug up, freed from part of the soil and cut into several parts. Sometimes they practice cutting off part of a bush without digging it up

The delenka is immediately planted in a new place in fertile soil and carefully watered

Application in medicine and cosmetology

Evening primrose seeds, from which oil is made, are of particular value. It contains fatty acids that inhibit the production of sebaceous glands. Thanks to the vitamin E content, the use of this oil gives nails and hair a healthy look and shine.

In a number of European countries and America, evening primrose oil is produced as a dietary supplement. In addition, it is used for massage, masks and facial compresses.

An infusion of the herb helps with cough, whooping cough, asthma, kidney stones and diarrhea, stimulates gastric activity, as well as the functioning of the liver and spleen. Useful for cardiac neuralgia.

Combination of daylily, astilbe, evening primrose and yellow loosestrife