A: I appreciate you bringing in a sample of the plant. It is difficult to identify plants and insects without having a good sample. Often flowering plants are classified as wildflowers or weeds depending on where they are growing. By definition, any plant out of place is considered a weed. Anyway, I said all that to let you know some people call your plant, Cutleaf Eveningprimrose, Oenothera laciniata Hill, a weed and others call it a wildflower. This is an herbaceous plant which can reach up to 2 feet tall and have a much larger spread. The leaves are heavily toothed and arranged alternately on the stems. The flowers have four petals with a combined span just over inch. They are pale yellow sometimes pink. Blooms first appear in late spring and continue into early fall. Cutleaf Eveningprimrose is found in fields, fencerows and disturbed areas. This simple plant can be found in almost all of North America east of the Rocky Mountains and some areas west of the Rockies. Managing it will be difficult now that it is fully developed. Most herbicides work best when the weed is young (1 inch or smaller). You could apply a non-selective herbicide. But, be careful not to spray the product around other green plants as they will suffer the consequences (death!). Or you could just leave it alone and call it a wildflower!
Posted: July 16, 2017
Category: Home Landscapes
Tags: Cutleaf Eveningprimrose, Oenothera Laciniata, Weed