Oenothera Deltoides, Birdcage Evening Primrose
Plants > Wildflowers > Onagraceae > Oenothera Deltoides
Common names:
Birdcage evening primrose, devil's lantern, basket evening primrose, lion in a cage
Family:
Scientific name:
Oenothera deltoides
Main flower color:
Range:
Oregon and California, east to Utah and Arizona
Height:
Up to 3 feet
Habitat:
Arid, sandy locations in deserts and plains
Leaves:
Up to 5.5 inches long, narrowly obovate (widest towards the tip), on long stems. Entire or pinnately lobed
Season:
March to May
Like most members of this genus, the flowers of oenothera deltoides are large, up to three inches in diameter, composed of four thin, white, papery petals, yellow at the base, centered on a cluster of yellow stamens and a longer tube holding the four-pronged ovary. Leaves grow in a rosette around the base, on stems which branch in older plants and can become several feet long.
Flowers are relatively short lasting, and open late in the day. The leaf stems of dead plants curve upwards and come together at the tips to form a basket-like structure, which accounts for one of the common names of this species. Flowers take on a pinkish tint as they age. Leaves may have entire edges, or be pinnately divided into irregular lobes. There are five recognized varieties.
Flowers are relatively short lasting, and open late in the day. The leaf stems of dead plants curve upwards and come together at the tips to form a basket-like structure, which accounts for one of the common names of this species. Flowers take on a pinkish tint as they age. Leaves may have entire edges, or be pinnately divided into irregular lobes. There are five recognized varieties.
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