Cutleaf Evening Primrose (Oenothera laciniata)

About Cutleaf Evening Primrose:

Cutleaf Evening Primrose is an annual, biennial or shorted lived perennial weed. This plant is native to North America and although it is not poisonous, this weed has unsuitable texture for feed and lowers hay quality.

Family: Evening primrose family (Onagraceae)

Cutleaf Evening Primrose Scouting and Prevention:

Cutleaf Evening Primrose can grow up to 28 inches tall. It can also rest and creep along the ground. The leaves on this weed alternate from one another with its edges tooted and lobed. Their leaves are kidney-shaped with hairs on top but not underneath. Cutleaf Evening Primrose also has a hairy stem that is typically red in colour and can have many to little branches coming off of it. The yellow to sometimes pinkish flowers that begin to appear in late spring grow until early fall and have 4 sepals turning down with curved and elongated seed pods that hold onto the stems. These flowers open in the evening and wither closed the next morning.

Common locations

• - Lawns
• - Agronomic fields
• - Pastures
• - Gardens

Cutleaf Evening Primrose Control:

Cultural Control

The best cultural control method for turf areas is to encourage wanted grass competition and reduce compaction. It is important that your lawn has good watering practices and proper mowing and fertilization to maintain an actively growing, dense turf. The best time to manage Cutleaf Evening Primrose is in late spring or fall when the plant is actively growing.

Chemical Control

Cutleaf Evening Primrose can cause some problems for spring burn down, especially when fields have been completely tilled in the fall. 2,4-D or dicamba combined with glyphostate and applied in early spring should provide control on Cutleaf Evening Primrose before you do your planting.

Latin / Alternative Cutleaf Evening Primrose names:

• - Oenothera laciniata
• - Evening primrose
• - Primrose
• - Sundrops

Additional Cutleaf Evening Primrose Resources