Product Description
Evening Primrose, also known as Sundrops, is a hardy perennial with showy yellow flowers that burst into bloom just as the sun is setting. They are excellent pollinators and thrive in hot, dry conditions and poor soil, making them a great choice for climates with low amounts of rainfall. These Heirloom Evening Primrose Seeds are part of The Seeds That Built America collection by Harvesting History and are made in the USA!
Planting and Care
Plant in a location with full sun. Sow seeds at a depth of 1/2 inch and 6 inches apart. Seeds will germinate in 10-14 days. Evening Primroses thrive in well-drained sandy soils with rocks or gravel to support drainage. They prefer dry to medium moisture levels, so it's important not to overwater to avoid root rot. Primroses can adapt to poor soils but prefer a slightly acidic environment.
For Evening Primroses to blossom in the first planting year, seeds must be sown in the fall. They can also be started indoors in early spring and then transplanted outside. Young plants form rosettes, which then produce flowering stems. Seeds sown in the fall will produce rosettes, which die back during heavy frosts and then re-emerge in the spring. Primroses are heat and drought-tolerant, and the deer do not seem to like them. They will spread aggressively in the garden, but can be easily maintained by pulling the plants up by their roots.
Inspiration
Evening Primrose was discovered in North America and brought to Europe in the early 17th century, where it quickly became a cottage garden favorite.
Joseph Breck, in his 1851 book The Flower Garden, described five varieties of Evening Primrose, varying in height from 6 inches to 4 feet, with yellow or white flowers. He stated, "All the species succeed well in any common garden soil, and easily propagate from divisions of the root, and from seed when it can be obtained."
Eighteenth-century Williamsburg was the home of many ardent gardeners and plant collectors who often exchanged seeds with fellow enthusiasts in Great Britain. Gardeners obtained their seeds from store merchants or from traveling seedsmen. Today, the Colonial Williamsburg seed program continues the tradition by offering many varieties grown in the 18th century.
