Perrenial Plant Focus: Oenothera fremontii ‘Shimmer’ (Freemont’s Evening Primrose)

(HIT) - This new drought-tolerant evening primrose cultivar has extremely narrow foliage and prolific 3-inch-wide lemon-yellow flowers. Originally discovered by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden, ‘Shimmer’ has smooth-margined leaves that are 4 1/2 to 5 inches long and 1/8 inch wide. The leaves emerge green in spring and mature to silvery-gray by mid-summer.

‘Shimmer’ is a recurrent bloomer, the first heavy flush coming in late spring followed by several more (depending on rainfall and length of the growing season) in mid-summer and early fall. A tap-rooted species, it grows well under dry conditions in a variety of poor-to-average fertility, sandy-to-clay-loam soils. This seedless plant reaches just 10 inches tall and 15 inches wide, and it thrives throughout USDA zones 4-8.

Individual plants sell for $6.99 each, 3 to 6 plants $6.79 each, 7 or more plants $6.59 each from High Country Gardens (1-800-925-9387, www.highcountrygardens.com).


Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center