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California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Perennial Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: flowers white

General: California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) is a perennial forb that blooms in the spring with big, white flowers. The plant is quite variable, and it can consist simply of a basal rosette of leaves or it can be a 2-ft high bush. The leaves can be short and triangular or long with wavy margins, and they can be hairless or hairy. White flowers age to pink.

In the southern deserts, this species of Evening Primrose is recognized by (in this order): white flowers, nodding buds, perennial, and leaves with wavy margins. Fresh stems grow upright and bushy or horizontal and spreading on the ground. The most similar species, Birdcage Evening Primrose, is an annual that has long, spreading stems that hug the ground until they begin to dry out and curl up to form the birdcage.

California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Older leaves elongate with wavy margin,

California Evening Primrose is a common component of vegetation communities in dry, well-drained sandy and gravely areas on bajadas into the lower mountains in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zones.

Around Las Vegas, look for California Evening Primrose at Red Rock Canyon NCA (First Creek Trail is good) or in Mojave National Preserve.

Family: Evening Primrose (Onagraceae). Formerly Oenothera californica.

California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose with white flowers
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose with white flowers
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: upright and shrub-like
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: spreading on the ground
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: upright and shrub-like
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: spreading on the ground
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Bark shredding
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Bark shredding
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Stem with leaves and flowers
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Stem with leaves and flowers
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Young leaves triangular to oval, margins almost entire
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Young leaves triangular to oval; buds nodding
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Older leaves elongate with wavy margin, sometimes hairless
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Older leaves elongate with wavy margin, sometimes hairy
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: buds nodding (hanging down)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: buds nodding (hanging down)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: buds nodding (hanging down)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flower bud nodding, sometimes hairless, free tips very short
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flower bud nodding, hairy, free tips very short
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flower bud opening
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: sometimes a small plant
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose: sometimes a small shrub
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers open in the evening
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers open in the evening
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers open in the evening
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers open in the evening
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers close in the morning and age to pink
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers close in the morning and age to pink
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Fresh (white) and older flowers (pink)
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers close in the morning and age to pink
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers close in the morning and age to pink
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Flowers close in the morning and age to pink
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Seed pods cylindrical
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)Seed pod cylindrical
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Seed pod cylindrical with a flaring tip
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Seed pod cylindrical with a flaring tip
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Dried seed pod with seeds
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Dried seed pod without seeds
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Seeds
California Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita)
Seeds

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 240908

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