# cutleaf evening primrose (*Oenothera laciniata*) The cutleaf evening primrose is a beautiful flower with bright yellow petals. It blooms in the evening and attracts many nighttime pollinators like moths. Its unique leaves are deeply cut, making it easy to recognize! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![cutleaf evening primrose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oenothera_laciniata.JPG&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Ffaarr assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oenothera_laciniata.JPG) ## Appearance The cutleaf evening primrose has bright yellow, four-petaled flowers that often open at dusk. Its distinctive leaves are deeply lobed, giving them a 'cut' or jagged appearance along the edges, making it unique. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Myrtales - **Family:** Onagraceae - **Genus:** Oenothera ## Interesting facts - Its 'cutleaf' name comes from the jagged edges of its leaves! - Its flowers can open fully in just a few minutes, like magic! - Some evening primrose seeds can stay sleepy in soil for decades! - This plant is a master at growing in tough, disturbed ground. ## Special abilities - **Night Bloom Power:** Cutleaf evening primrose can open its bright flowers quickly at dusk, attracting nocturnal insect pollinators like moths. - **Taproot Super-Seeker:** This plant has a strong taproot that helps it find deep water, allowing it to survive in dry, sandy soils. - **Speedy Spreader:** Cutleaf evening primrose can grow rapidly and produce many seeds, quickly colonizing new, disturbed areas. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** White-lined Sphinx Moth (*Hyles lineata*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Spinus tristis*) — eats its oil-rich seeds - **Eats:** Tobacco Hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — larvae munch on leaves ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Night Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/night-blooming): Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify cutleaf evening primrose? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is cutleaf evening primrose? 10-60 cm ### How wide does cutleaf evening primrose spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on cutleaf evening primrose? 1-3 cm ### When does cutleaf evening primrose bloom? Spring to fall ### Is cutleaf evening primrose edible? Yes ### Is cutleaf evening primrose toxic? None ### What is cutleaf evening primrose's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Americus Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/americus-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Charlotte Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlotte-street-historic-district) — Arkansas, US · Historic District - [Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ardsley-park-chatham-crescent-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Fullerton Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fullerton-arboretum) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Howard County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/howard-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Juliette Gordon Low Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/juliette-gordon-low-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Museum [View all places to see cutleaf evening primrose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cutleaf-evening-primrose) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cutleaf Evening Primrose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cutleaf-evening-primrose)