Exposure Full-sun
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Oenothera pallida. This rare BC native grows to a height of 15-60cm (6-24"). Pale Evening Primrose has been red-listed in the wild, but it's an important food plant for native butterflies and bees. The highly fragrant, pale pink flowers bloom all summer, opening in the evening. This dainty flower looks magnificent in mass plantings, and may naturalize in BC gardens. It is very drought tolerant once established, so a choice option for xeriscaping schemes. Meanwhile, just enjoy them planted in large containers. Pale Evening Primrose plants are not long lived, but will self-seed in the right environment.
Perennial
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Latin
Latin
Oenothera pallida
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun
Zone:Β Hardy to Zone 4
Timing
Timing
Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost in peat or coir pots to prevent root disturbance. Thatβs the third week in January to the first week in February on the coast. Otherwise direct sow the seeds in early spring, or autumn in mild winter areas. Seeds should germinate in 5-30 days.
Starting
Starting
Just cover the small seeds, and germinate at 18Β°-21Β°C (65Β°-70Β°F). Oenothera seeds require darkness to break dormancy.
Growing
Growing
Space plants 13-23cm (5-9β³) apart. Plant in light, well drained soil with a pH of around 5.5-7.0. Sandy soil works well for this plant. Oenothera is tolerant of dry and is a good candidate for xeriscaping. In really fertile soil the foliage can be robust, but fewer flowers form. Top dress with fully composted manure in the spring. Provide irrigation during long hot spells, and cut the plants back by a third after flowering to keep them looking neat. Hot summer weather may cause the plants to briefly stop flowering. Powdery mildew sometimes appears in humid conditions.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
Weβre a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We donβt just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what weβve learned with others.
Gardens donβt just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact β always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earthβs stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost in peat or coir pots to prevent root disturbance. Thatβs the third week in January to the first week in February on the coast. Otherwise direct sow the seeds in early spring, or autumn in mild winter areas. Seeds should germinate in 5-30 days.
Just cover the small seeds, and germinate at 18Β°-21Β°C (65Β°-70Β°F). Oenothera seeds require darkness to break dormancy.
Ideal pH: 5.5-7.0.
Space plants 13-23cm (5-9β³) apart. Plant in light, well drained soil. Sandy soil works well for this plant. Oenothera is tolerant of dry and is a good candidate for xeriscaping. In really fertile soil the foliage can be robust, but fewer flowers form. Top dress with fully composted manure in the spring. Provide irrigation during long hot spells, and cut the plants back by a third after flowering to keep them looking neat. Hot summer weather may cause the plants to briefly stop flowering. Powdery mildew sometimes appears in humid conditions.
