Wasatch Wildflowers: Tufted Evening Primrose (Oenothera caespitosa)

Photo: Tufted Evening Primrose – photo: Ashley Brown

PARK CITY, Utah. — Native to Utah and many western states, the Tufted Evening Primrose is aptly named. Typically the flowers bloom in the evening and wilt the next day. The delicate, heart-shaped petals are often bright white or yellow and attract flying insects like hawk moths. As the flower ages, the petals turn a light sunrise pink.

Tufted Evening Primrose thrives in dry or gravelly habitats. The leaves are lance-shaped and hairy. The plant can grow between 3 and 6 inches high. Look for blooms in late spring.