Oenothera missouriensis

Such stunning blooms combined with heat and drought tolerance make this showy and highly reliable perennial a great asset in both well-drained rock and cottage gardens. Reaching 10" tall and 1-2.5' across with attractive and substantial slender leaves, "Ozark Sundrop" blooms exuberantly Spring thru Fall, bearing countless large and luminous, lightly scented, 3-4", soft bright lemon-yellow "saucers" loved by hummingbirds and hawkmoths. A challenging and accessible Midwestern native, it tolerates poor and limey soil, though some fertility and deadheading will produce the most and most prolonged bloom. Non-invasive. Cut back to 1-2" in Fall. Deer resistant.

Historians believe that this flower originally came from Mexico and Central America. It earned its common name by opening late in the day, though, in some regions, the blooms tend to open at other times. At one time, the petals were thought to be phosphorescent because of their glowing yellow color through the night; in Germany, the blooms are sometimes called "night candles." The genus name Oenothera has somewhat mysterious origins. Several sources agree that it comes from the Greek word for "wine" since it was once a common belief that the plant's roots could neutralize the impact of excessive wine drinking.