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Weed Identification

Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Science Virginia Cooperative Extension

cutleaf evening primrose

Family

Onagraceae

Scientific Name

Oenothera laciniata
Weed photograph 1
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Other Common Names:

cut-leaved evening-primrose

Synonyms (former Scientific Names):

Raimannia laciniata

Habit

Usually a biennial or a winter annual, but may rarely occur as a summer annual. Cutleaf eveningprimrose has leaves with deeply toothed margins and produces many showy yellow or red flowers. This weed is primarily a weed of landscapes, nurseries, some agronomic crops, and occasionally turfgrass and lawns. Cutleaf eveningprimrose occurs throughout the southern and eastern United States.

Leaves

Cotyledons are egg- or arrowhead-shaped and occur on petioles. Leaves initially develop as a basal rosette. Young leaves have margins that are untoothed (entire), but subsequent leaves have toothed margins. Upper leaf surfaces of young leaves are usually hairy and lower leaf surfaces are without hairs. Mature leaves may have hairs on the upper leaf surfaces but are without hairs below. Leaves are lanceolate in outline, are relatively narrow, and have deeply toothed margins. Leaves have a distinctive white midvein.

Identifying Characteristics

Erect or prostrate plants with lanceolate leaves that have toothed margins, red stems, and yellow or red flowers. Cutleaf eveningprimrose is very similar in appearance to Common Eveningprimrose (Oenothera biennis), but common eveningprimrose has untoothed margins and usually grows much more erect than cutleaf eveningprimrose.

Flower Seed Head

The flowers have 4 regular parts and are up to 3 cm wide. They are pale yellow sometimes pink. Flowers are born directly from the main stem (sessile). Blooms first appear in late spring and continue into early fall.

Seed Fruit

A capsule that is approximately 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long and often curved. Many seed are arranged in rows within the capsule.

Where Found

Cutleaf evening primrose can be found in almost all of North America, east of the Rocky Mountains and some areas west of the Rockies.

Growth Habit

prostrate and nonwoody

Thorns or Spines

not present

Approximate Flower Diameter

Varies: 
dime, 
nickle, 
quarter, 
half dollar

Dominant Flower Color

Varies: 
yellow, 
red

Flower Symmetry

bilateral symmetry

Leaf Hairs

has hairs

Leaf Shape

lance

Leaf Arrangement

rosette

Leaf Margin

wavy

Leaf Structure

simple

Leaf Stalk

none

Stem Hairs

has hairs

Stem Cross Section

round or oval

Milky Sap

not present

Root Structure

taproot

Life Cycle

biennial

Ochrea

not present

Plant Type

Herb