The Common Primrose

[Vermin King]

Close to twenty years ago, several of my friends started growing 'Moonflowers', the common primrose. Unusual in that they bloom at night, and by noon the next day, the blooms are gone. The next night, they will have new blooms. They are an annual or biennial plant. Sometimes they bloom on a first year plant, but usually the following year. Once they start blooming about mid-June, they continue until October.

This year I have a huge stand of these things. And they started blooming early.

June 1: three blooms on two plants



June 2: 18 blooms on eight plants



June 3: 31 blooms on 15 plants



June 4: 81 blooms on 33 plants



With over 200 plants this year, I think I'm going to have a sea of yellow later on.

Anyone else have any unusual plants?

[paperpusher]

I dont raise them but they grow all over the place in Virginia escapees from gardens I imagine. I see them commonly.on roadsides and empty lots. As a gardener and naturalist I'm quite found of their mellow yellow flower, tenacity, and persistence

[Vermin King]

Around here, they aren't so common and not very tenacious. I've had a hard time keeping them going some years. I'd been trying to keep 20 to 30 going. I've had to replenish friends who have lost theirs a few times. Several years back I thought I'd had the best year ever and had the sea of gold, but I only had 81 plants that year. I have over 200 this year. The goldfinches will be showing up shortly to relieve the plants of their seeds.

The plant does not survive overcrowding by other plants well. Clover and crabgrass will wipe them out in a matter of days when they are small. If you accidently mow over one before the stalk shoots up, it is a goner.

I don't think I'll have to worry about them dropping enough seeds to keep me going another year.

[paperpusher]

I think you are short changing yourself. From your pictures I would say you are doing a fantastic job with them.

You are right about them not doing well with crowds. When I come across them the are along among other plants or sparse at best. I spend alot of time wandering in the wild and among forgotten places, spying a primrose, if one is present, is not hard they make themselves readily visable.

Im not sure why the do what they do here and why they do it so resiliently. If I ever learn their secrets I will ne sure to pass them along!

[Vermin King]

According to the person I spoke to at the Missouri Department of Conservation, in Missouri they are mostly found in glades in the Ozark plateau or on bluffs. I think they do well there because of lack of competition.

I try to do landscaping with native plants and plants that require little maintenance. These guys take care of themselves once you get them up to the point where they send up stalks. Keeping the clover out is the biggest issue

[Vermin King]

112 blooms on 51 plants last night.

[paperpusher]

I live in the blue ridge might be why i see the so much. I have a fondness for native plants myself extremely partial to ones found in appalachian medicine, hoodoo, indian magic and medicine.

As to your clover I have a tip from my gardener days. I used to wear a rubber glove with a cotton glove over it and dip it in herbacide and rub it on plants i didn't want in flower beds around plants I wanted to protect. Worked well. Not sure if it is something you want to try or not

[Vermin King]

I do something similar with the Devil's Trumpet around my roses and irises. Thanks for the tip

[Vermin King]

Last night I finally broke 100 on blooming plants ... 129.

The photo above was just after sunset this evening. Should look even better in the morning

[paperpusher]

Very nice congradulations!