Oenothera fruticosa Linnaeus var. fruticosa . Common name: Narrowleaf Sundrops. Phenology: Apr-Aug. Habitat: Piedmont hardpan woodlands, mafic and ultramafic barrens and glades, dry oak-hickory woodlands, longleaf pine sandhills, dry roadsides. Distribution: SC north to PA, mostly in the Piedmont.
ID notes: The distribution of var. fruticosa overlaps with O. tetragona in VA and MD, where the two can be difficult to distinguish and may intergrade. O. fruticosa var. fruticosa is most reliably separated by its strongly clavate, usually densely short-pilose or hirtellous capsules (vs. oblong, glandular-puberulent, perhaps with a few eglandular hairs), and denser silvery-strigose pubescence, and usually oblanceolate or narrow-elliptic, entire leaves (vs. lanceolate or linear-lanceolate).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: The Oenothera fruticosa complex needs further taxonomic and nomenclatural study to determine the validity and relative ranges of various entities; mapping of members of the complex is tentative.
Synonymy ⓘ: = F, G, Munz (1965); > Kneiffia arenicola Small — S, S13; > Kneiffia fruticosa (L.) Raim. — S; > Kneiffia fruticosa (L.) Raim. var. fruticosa — S13; > Kneiffia linearis (Michx.) Spach — S, S13; > Kneiffia longipedicellata Small — S13; > Kneiffia semiglandulosa Pennell — S; < Oenothera fruticosa L. — Ar, C, Fl4, Mi, RAB, Tn, Va, WH3; < Oenothera fruticosa L. ssp. fruticosa — FNA10, Il, K4, Mo3, NE, NY, Pa, W, Straley (1977), Wagner, Hoch, & Raven (2007); > Oenothera fruticosa L. var. eamesii (B.L.Rob.) S.F.Blake — F, Munz (1965); > Oenothera fruticosa L. var. humifusa Allen — F, G, Munz (1965); > Oenothera fruticosa L. var. linearis (Michx.) S.Watson — F, WV. Basionym: Oenothera fruticosa L. 1753
Links to other floras: < Oenothera fruticosa ssp. fruticosa - FNA10
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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© Bruce Sorrie
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce Sorrie
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
© J.W. Hardin | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial found in dry forests and woodlands, glades and rock outcrops.
Stems: Stems simple or branched above, often tinged dark red, rough-hairy.
Leaves: Basal leaves form a rosette the first year and are oval to spoon-shaped; stem leaves are alternate, sessile or short-petioled, elliptic to lance-shaped, to 4 in. long.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in compact, occasionally nodding clusters at tips of stems and solitary in axils of reduced leaves; each flower lemon yellow, about 2 in. wide, consisting of 4 notch-tipped petals, 8 stamens and a cross-shaped stigma. An elongated calyx tube consists of 4 spreading or reflexed sepals.
Fruits: Fruit a strongly 4-angled, club-shaped capsule.
Comments: Flowers close at night.
Height: 1-2 ft.
plant sale text: The lemon-yellow flowers of southern sundrops add a cheerful touch to the garden. They make a nice low-growing filler for the sunny perennial border. The attractive foliage is glossy green, often with purplish spots. In the wild, southern sundrops are found growing in dry woods and meadows and along roadsides. Any well-drained soil is fine for growing this cheerful southeastern native perennial. Very drought-tolerant once established. The Oenothera genus supports up to 16 species of lepidoptera. 1989 N.C. Wildflower of the Year.
bloom table text: Common in woods, meadows and roadsides, this native wildflower creates a showy display in late spring and early summer. The large size and intense yellow color of the flowers has led to its frequent cultivation. Although a member of the Evening-primrose Family, sundrops are open only during the day rather than at night. Cherokee Indians used this plant as a potherb - the leaves were parboiled, rinsed, and cooked in hot grease. **1989 North Carolina Wildflower of the Year**
description: Erect perennial found in dry forests and woodlands, glades and rock outcrops.
stems: Stems simple or branched above, often tinged dark red, rough-hairy.
leaves: Basal leaves form a rosette the first year and are oval to spoon-shaped; stem leaves are alternate, sessile or short-petioled, elliptic to lance-shaped, to 4 in. long.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in compact, occasionally nodding clusters at tips of stems and solitary in axils of reduced leaves; each flower lemon yellow, about 2 in. wide, consisting of 4 notch-tipped petals, 8 stamens and a cross-shaped stigma. An elongated calyx tube consists of 4 spreading or reflexed sepals.
fruits: Fruit a strongly 4-angled, club-shaped capsule.
comments: Flowers close at night.
cultural notes:
germination code: 1, 4
native range: eastern United States
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