Fragrant Evening Primrose (Oenothera stricta) - Wildlife-Friendly (Moth-Friendly) (Peat-Free, Pesticide-Free Super Plugs & 9cm Pots)

Oenothera stricta brings glowing, silky blooms that unfurl at dusk, releasing a honeyed scent that draws in moths, hoverflies and other night visitors. By morning, the open, accessible flowers are worked by bumblebees and solitary bees before they fade for the next wave. Plants are short-lived perennials/biennials (often flowering the first year), so the best way to keep them rolling is to let a few seed each season.

Where it thrives

• Full sun

• Well-drained, lean soils - sandy, gravelly, chalky all welcome

• Great for gravel/steppe borders, dry banks, coastal gardens, meadow edges and pots with a gritty mix

• Height:  40-70 cm; airy, natural look that pairs with Wild Marjoram, Small Scabious, Yarrow and fine grasses

Planting & care

• Plant 25-30 cm apart; water to establish, then keep on the dry side (avoid winter waterlogging).

• Deadhead for tidiness or leave some seedheads to self-sow lightly.

• Cut back spent stems in late autumn or leave for winter texture; tidy in spring.

• Non-native but beneficial: long grown in UK gardens and valued for nocturnal pollinators.

Joel says…
“For hot, free-draining spots that need evening magic, Fragrant Evening Primrose is perfect. You’ll get scent at dusk, moths straight away, and bees in the morning. Plant lean, let a few seed, and enjoy. As always, peat-free and pesticide-free.”

Although there is a minimum order requirement of 8 plugs when purchasing specific species, if selecting our Super Plug Bespoke Pack, you can select up to 4 species of your choice from our given list to make up a 16 pack (or greater), allowing you a wider choice of plug species if 8 of one is too many. Find the link to our Super Plug Bespoke Pack here!

These SUPER PLUG specimens are available in 8 pack, 16 pack, 32 pack and 48 pack. The 9CM POTS are available individually.

They're both ready to be shipped to you in a few days.

If you need ANY advice on planting or suitable plants for a specific area, please remember that as a Wild Your Garden customer you're entitled to free professional and tailored advice from our founder, Joel.

Please note - this is a Biennial.