Oenothera fruticosa 'Fyrverkeri'
     
Tried and True Recommended by 1 Professional
Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: sundrops
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Onagraceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 1 to 1.5 feet
Spread: 1 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Leaves: Colorful
Tolerates: Dry Soil, Shallow, Rocky Soil, Drought
Uses: Erosion Control, Will Naturalize

Culture

Easily grown in average to moderately fertile, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers good summer heat and dryish soils. Tolerates poor soils and light shade. If plant foliage depreciates in summer after flowering, stems may be cut back to the basal rosette. Slowly spreading rosettes.

Noteworthy Characteristics

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. ‘Fyrverkeri’ (also sold as ‘Fireworks’) is a more compact plant that grows to 18” tall. It features purple-brown flushed foliage, red stems, red flower buds and bright yellow flowers in May-June. 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.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses

Borders, wild gardens, rock gardens, native plant areas or cottage gardens.