Oenothera capillifolia
Berlandier's sundrops
Overview
Oenothera capillifolia is a slender perennial in the evening primrose family, growing 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall with wiry, often branching stems and very narrow, thread-like leaves 0.5-2 inches (1.5-5 cm) long. Unlike the night-blooming evening primroses, its flowers open by day. From spring into summer it bears four-petaled yellow flowers 0.75-1.5 inches (2-4 cm) wide, each with a shallow cup and a cross-shaped stigma, borne in the upper leaf axils. The flowers fade to pale orange or pink as they age and last about a day, with new buds opening in succession. Bees and other insects visit for pollen and nectar, and slender capsules follow, splitting to shed small seeds. It grows in dry, open sandy ground, pine flatwoods, sandhills, fields, and roadsides across the southeastern United States. Plants form loose colonies by self-seeding and by short underground runners. Lean, sharply drained sandy soil and full sun are its normal conditions, and it grows poorly in heavy, wet, or shaded ground. The threadlike foliage and day-open yellow flowers make it easy to tell from coarser sundrops.
Native Range
Native to the southeastern United States, from the Carolinas and Georgia south through Florida and west along the Gulf Coast to Texas. It grows in dry, sandy habitats including pine flatwoods, sandhills, open fields, and roadsides. Its range centers on the sandy coastal plain.Suggested Uses
Oenothera capillifolia is used in sandy meadow, rock garden, and native pollinator plantings, and along hot, dry borders and path edges. Its airy form and yellow flowers suit gravel gardens and lean, sunny banks. It naturalizes on open sandy ground where it can reseed.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread8" - 1'6"
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
yellow, aging to orange-pinkFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Oenothera capillifolia grows in full sun on lean, fast-draining sandy or gravelly soil and tolerates heat, drought, and poor fertility. It needs sharp drainage and grows poorly in heavy clay or constantly moist ground. The plant is hardy in USDA zones 7-9 and self-sows freely where the soil stays open and sunny. It spreads by short runners as well as seed, forming loose drifts over time. Rich or wet soil produces lank growth and shortens its life, so lean conditions suit it. Watering is needed only to establish young plants or during extended drought.Pruning
Shearing the plant back after the main flush of bloom tidies it and can prompt a second round of flowers. Spent stems can be cut to the base in late autumn or winter. Leaving some capsules to ripen lets the plant self-sow and renew the planting.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons