I know this is a well-known plant for those of us who care about such things, but I can’t believe it isn’t more popular than it is. For the most part, it gets along pretty well with much of our soils (I’m hoping it will stick around in our yard despite the fact that its growing in a mostly clay bed), needs no watering, is easy to propagate and is a perennial! You will typically see this plant listed as “Missouri evening primrose”. However, I recently read it referred to as “Ozark sundrop” and thought that was just perfect.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised that the couple of potted plants I put in the ground last spring decide to bloom in their first year. I know the flowers last but a day, but I don’t have to tell you how much they’re worth seeing when they bloom right outside your front door. Check these out in the wild too. They grow in great numbers at a couple of glade spots in Jefferson County – Valley View Glades and Victoria Glades – along with a lot of other fantastic species that bloom at the same time.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 