Why do evening primrose bloom at night

Some open and close their flowers. Others change the position of their leaves, like my potted shamrock, whose leaves fall down at night and open back up in the day.

These daily rhythms originate within the plants themselves, but it is daylight that keeps that biological clock accurately synchronized to the constantly changing lengths of day and night. The mechanism responsible for the biological clock is not well understood, but it is known that plants sense the presence or absence of daylight using a light-sensitive pigment called phytochrome.

So as summer progresses and darkness comes earlier each day, my primroses know enough to change their rhythms a little bit every day, too. They open their flowers a little earlier each day because each day is a little shorter. People also have daily biological rhythms that are adjusted by day length. I might even go dancing downtown. But only after my primroses have opened. How about a picture of those seed pods to go along with the flower for those of us less botanically knowledgeable?

Hey Chris Does the primrose have a strong perfume like most night blooming plants? Not sure about other evening primroses. Kids are blown away by it, and so am I every time I see it! Chris M. But choose as you will. One seems to have to code switch among these a lot to be fully botanically conversant.

Oh yeah, and … Fun to go out to a patch of these at night with a headlamp, and see the eye shine of the big moths that come to pollinate them.

Laurel Birdsong. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. A layer of sphagnum moss may help insulate the roots. They prefer indirect light, such as from a west-facing window. Flowering primroses are toxic plants, so they're not a good choice for homes with curious children or pets.

Gryphon Adams began publishing in Adams is a certified health educator and a massage practitioner. Home Guides Garden Gardening. By Gryphon Adams. Related Articles. How to Plant Dwarf Gladiolus. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products.

List of Partners vendors. In This Article Expand. Growing From Seed. Common Pests and Diseases. Botanical Name Oenothera biennis Common Name Evening primrose, common evening primrose, tree primrose, fever plant, cure-all, night willow-herb Plant Type Herbaceous perennial Mature Size 3—5 ft.

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