Enothera (an oslinik, a night candle) is a plant from the Cyprus family. A large genus that is very diverse.
They can be herbs or shrubs, straight or branched, the leaves are completely different in shape. This plant is ornamental, a huge number of its varieties are bred.
Evening primrose description
Planting and caring for this plant does not require much effort, and therefore almost anyone can grow it.
Evening primrose flowers are bright yellow, white, red, blue (may be striped). In the bosom of the leaves are placed one at a time, and a little less often two or in a bunch. In the cup there are four soldered leaves, with a long tetrahedral tube, a corolla with four petals, eight stamens, a pestle with a lower four-ridge ovary and a column on four stigmas. Fruits are multi-seeded boxes.
Popular types of evening primrose
There are more than 100 species of evening primrose perennial, annual, tall and low.
In central Russia, biennial species are grown:
| View | Description | Leaves | Flowers |
| Drummond | Grows to 0.8 m. The stem is thickened, highly branched. | Opposite located, pointed to the top, long, lanceolate, dark green. | Consist of four yellow petals, the size of which is 70 mm. |
| Multi-colored | Height - 1.2 m. In gardening, the variety Sunset Boulevard of this species is quite often used (its height is 0.4 m). | At the beginning they are oblong, and towards the end they become lanceolate. The leaf plates are arranged alternately. | Painted in ginger color. |
| Two-night evening (night candle) | Reaches 1.2 m. Shoots erect, top covered with a huge number of small hairs. Very popular variety is Evening dawn. His height is 100 cm. | Rare-toothed, whole, about 20 cm long. | The size in diameter is 50 mm. Their color is lemon, and flowers open either when it is cloudy or in the evening. Evening dawn - yellow, with a red tint. |
| Beautiful | The height of this bush is almost half a meter. | Oblong, with sparse teeth along the edge. | The flower is cupped, about 50 cm across, the color is either pure white or with a pinkish tinge. |
| Red-sepal (Lamarca) | No one knows for sure how this biennium came about. There is speculation that he was born in the Old World due to a mutation. This is an erect bush, approximately 100 cm high. | Oval, smooth, greenish color. | Inflorescences are composed of yellowish flowers. |
In the middle latitudes yellow perennial winter-hardy types of evening primrose are used:
| View | Description | Leaves | Flowers |
| Missouri (large-fruited) | Homeland - South of North America in 1811. It grows to 0.4 m. Rarely used. | Dense, oval, narrow, lanceolate. | Golden solitary, almost lying on the ground, usually 100 cm across. It blooms from July to frost. Has a citrus flavor. |
Perennial Low Pernis (Pumila) | Distribution area North America. Its height is about 25 cm. | The narrow-lanceolate leaves are approximately 15 mm wide. | Yellow, spikelets arranged and usually up to 15 mm across. |
| Quadrangular (fraser) | This plant, like the previous one, appeared in eastern North America. Height - 0.7 m. | Oval, green-blue, and in the fall they turn pale red. | Shields are made of yellowish flowers. |
| Shrubbery | This species came to us from the east coast. Reaches 1.2 meters. | Oval, slightly elongated, dark green. | Yellow, fragrant, across - 50 mm. |
Evening primrose reproduction
Evening primrose is propagated in several ways:
- Seminal. Well suited for perennial evening primrose, because in the first year they give only rosettes of leaves, and already in the second appear a normal bush, flowers and ovaries of boxes. The seeds of this plant are very small, therefore it is better to mix them with sand before planting. They need to be planted not too deep - 5 mm will be enough. After the first sprouts appear, thinning is necessary.
- Seedling. Seeds are placed in small home greenhouses in February. The depth is the same as in the first case. They monitor the soil - in no case should it dry out. Temperature - + 20 ... +21 ° C. If all the rules are followed, then in May seedlings can be planted in the garden and then in the same year the plant will bloom. The type of evening primrose depends on how far from each other seedlings should be placed. Higher farther than small ones.
- Division of the bush. It consists in transplanting shoots growing near the main shrub. It is necessary to prepare the place well - dig up small holes and put organic fertilizers there.
Evening primrose landing
Enotere is best grown in the sun, but she can survive in a small shade. The composition of the soil is not particularly important, the main thing is to avoid wetlands or excessively moist places, since this plant experiences drought much better than waterlogging. The most correct option would be light sandy soil (its pH should be 5.5-7.0 pH).
You can grow an aspen with seedlings. To do this, you need to plant the seeds in the nursery in late February or early March. After they rise and get stronger, dive into the holes at a distance of 50 cm.
You can plant the seeds immediately in the flower garden. To do this, it is necessary to spill the soil on the eve of winter or already in spring - in early May and sow the seeds shallowly in the holes for two or three pieces. The distance between them is at least 30 cm.
The land must be well prepared. First, you need to dig it with the introduction of two glasses of Nitrofoski and 3 kg of compost soil.
After the emergence of seedlings, seedlings need to be dived at a distance of 10 cm. It is possible that it will be necessary to transplant again so that the plant has more free space for growth and development - this directly depends on the variety of evening primrose. During the first year, the root system will be formed, and bloom will begin only after a year.
Evening Primrose Care
During plant care, it is necessary to ensure that the topsoil has time to dry out, otherwise the root system may rot. The best guideline will be weather conditions, for example: in dry and hot times, watering in the evening three times a week, in rainy - 1 time. Approximately 16 liters per square meter.
With fertilizing, you should also be careful, since evening primrose is planted in fertile and already fed soil, it is better not to fertilize it in the first year. And the next time, add compost to the ground mixed with wood ash and sodium sulfate.
During the summer season, the earth is loosened. Some varieties of evening primrose due to their height. To prevent evening primrose from multiplying, the faded parts are removed. In the fall, shoots are cut and cover the plant with spruce branches or fallen leaves. Many species are not susceptible to cold and have winter hardiness, so they do not require additional shelter.
Evening primrose diseases and pests
A plant with insufficient care can be affected by various diseases and pests. The most common of these are aphids and fungi.
- If a fungus is found on evening primrose leaves, the latter must be removed and burned.
- With aphids, the situation is completely different. Special preparations are needed here - insecticides (Actellik, Aktara).
Mr. Summer resident informs: the benefits and harms of evening primrose
Evening primrose has many advantages. The roots of the plant contain useful substances, so they make decoctions from colds and pulmonary tuberculosis. Evening primrose seed oil is very much appreciated and is also used in medicine.
Despite the benefits of evening primrose, there are contraindications. It should be used for treatment in moderation, otherwise unwanted symptoms may appear. Medicines with this plant should not be taken for people with schizophrenia, as well as epileptics.
