Oenothera laciniata
Cutleaf evening primrose
(c) Brian Finzel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Brian Finzel · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Oenothera laciniata (Cutleaf evening primrose) is a non-native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by curved buds and small stature.
Cutleaf evening primrose is a naturalized annual or short-lived perennial herb found in coastal western, southwestern, and Mojave Desert regions in open, sandy, disturbed places at elevations generally below 500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces bright yellow flowers that fade to orange, with petals 5 to 22 millimeters long. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 0.5 to 5 decimeters tall, it forms a distinctive rosette with minutely strigose hairs and occasional long, spreading glandular hairs. Its cauline leaves are 2 to 10 centimeters long, narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic, ranging from nearly entire to pinnately lobed. The fruit is a distinctive cylindrical capsule 20 to 50 millimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species; distinguished by curved buds and small stature
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, generally sandy, disturbed places
Elevation: generally < 500 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Merced, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Orange, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Ventura, Contra Costa
Outside California: native to eastern United States, widely naturalized, but occurrences scattered
Bloom period
Oenothera laciniata blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Camissoniopsis: Oenothera has a 4-lobed cross-shaped stigma; Camissoniopsis has a round stigma and four-angled fruits.; vs Clarkia: Oenothera has 4-lobed stigma and yellow flowers; Clarkia has round stigma and pink/purple flowers.; vs Rosa: Oenothera has 4 petals and capsule fruits; Rosa has 5+ petals and rose hips.; vs Convolvulus: Oenothera has separate petals; Convolvulus has fused trumpet-shaped flowers (morning glory family).; vs Taraxia: Oenothera has robust stems with 4-lobed stigma; Taraxia is stemless with flowers at ground level.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oenothera laciniata native to California?
No. Oenothera laciniata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Oenothera laciniata bloom?
Oenothera laciniata blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Oenothera laciniata grow?
Oenothera laciniata occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Merced, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Orange and other counties, at elevations of generally < 500 m.
What plant family does Oenothera laciniata belong to?
Oenothera laciniata is in the Onagraceae family, genus Oenothera.
What habitat does Oenothera laciniata grow in?
Oenothera laciniata grows in Open, generally sandy, disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.