# Pale Evening Primrose (*Oenothera pallida*)

The Pale Evening Primrose is a beautiful flower that blooms in the evening. Its soft yellow petals open up at night and close in the morning, making it a special sight to see as the sun sets.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Pale Evening Primrose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oenothera_pallida_%284034072132%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oenothera_pallida_%284034072132%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Pale Evening Primrose has delicate white to pinkish-white flowers that open in the evening. Its broad, often crinkled petals contrast with bright yellow stamens, making it look different from many daytime blooms. The plant forms a low clump of green, lance-shaped leaves.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Myrtales
- **Family:** Onagraceae
- **Genus:** Oenothera

## Interesting facts

- Its delicate petals glow subtly under moonlight, guiding night-flying insects to its nectar!
- Its seeds contain an oil rich in nutrients, valued by humans for centuries!
- Native American tribes traditionally used parts of this plant for various purposes.
- Though called "evening," some flowers can stay open well into the morning sun.

## Special abilities

- **Moon Bloom:** Pale Evening Primrose can open its flowers precisely at dusk to attract special nighttime pollinators.
- **Color Shifter:** Pale Evening Primrose flowers change from white to a pinkish-red as they age, signaling to pollinators.
- **Deep Drinker:** Pale Evening Primrose has a long taproot that helps it find water deep underground to survive dry spells.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-50 cm
- **Spread:** 15-45 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** White-lined Sphinx Moth (*Hyles lineata*) — Its long proboscis reaches deep nectar.
- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects pollen and nectar in morning.
- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on leaves and young stems.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [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.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [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.

## 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 first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Pale 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 Pale Evening Primrose?

10-50 cm

### How wide does Pale Evening Primrose spread?

15-45 cm

### How big are the flowers on Pale Evening Primrose?

2-5 cm

### When does Pale Evening Primrose bloom?

Late spring to mid-summer

### Is Pale Evening Primrose edible?

Yes

### Is Pale Evening Primrose toxic?

None

### What is Pale Evening Primrose's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Zion Lodge–Birch Creek Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zion-lodge-birch-creek-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District

## 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*)

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Source: [Pale Evening Primrose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pale-evening-primrose)