I just happened to see this thread in the "recent posts" box. My Oenothera biennis is blooming now, way over my head. I'm 5'4" so I would guess it to be at least 7 feet tall. It can really overwhelm less vigorous plants quickly so I try to confine it to rough areas.

Perhaps OS does better in very dry climates like ours? We never had a problem with it not coming back! I would guess from the masses of OS roots that we dug up when we took it out, that it likes having dry feet. So it may be more controlled for Lin if you have wetter conditions. BTW the flowers are simply gorgeous. Nurseries sell this by the hundreds here every spring. The CP is completely neglected but it has grown along the walk and in the crack between steps and a patio. I'm encouraging it to edge a bed but we will have to put in a border to stop it invading. I had a clump in a flower bed where it was starting to expand too vigorously so I ripped it out and stuck it into the ground under the sycamore. That was about 6 weeks ago. It's settled down nicely and started to flower. The tree base is circled by driveway and a walk so it can't go far. Cheryl

now hubby and I sit out there every night with our coffee, staring FOREVER at this thing so as not to miss it, lol. Pam, it sounds like you have a very exciting life, lol! Actually, it sounds very relaxing, especially if accompanied by an adult beverage. ;) Just googled O. triloba and WOW, really pretty flowers, but boy is that foliage weedy-looking. I started O. macrocarpa from seed several years ago and have mature plants now. The flowers bloom in the spring and look similar, probably larger, and quite lovely. But again the foliage is a little weedy and looks ratty now. And do I dare start O. speciosa from seed? Gorgeous flowers, but supposed to be a rampant spreader.

6" stem, brown flecks are seeds Common Evening Primrose is a lovely biennial wildflower growing between two and six feet high. It has scented soft yellow flowers which begin blooming at dusk. It will often reseed in the garden. Seed collection is easy. Cut off the dried seed stalks when the pods have opened and the stems are brown. Place them upside-down in a paper bag and allow them to firther dry for a few more days. Roll down the top of the bag to encase the pod stems and shake the bag well for about a minute. This will remove the seeds from the pods. The seeds are small, brown, and about the size of a flea. The seeds will be in the bottom of the shaken bag. Carefully tear dwon the bag and remove the stems. Empty the seeds and chaff onto a plate and gently puff on them to remove any loose chaff.