Northern Sundrops is a perennial, herbaceous wildflower in the primrose family, native to Eastern Canada and the United States from New England to Georgia. In nature, it is commonly found in dry moist forests and along roadsides. It is a ground-hugging plant with dense foliage and distinctive red flower buds that blossom into bright yellow flowers. The flowers will bloom in spring and last through the summer. Individual flowers open at dusk and close later the next day, hence the common name of evening primrose. Northern Sundrops do best sited in full sun to partial shade, in consistently moist average soil with good drainage. It will tolerate periods of dry soil once established. It can spread in the landscape by self-seeding and can be somewhat weedy. The seeds can stay viable in the soil for up to 70 years. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Leaf spot and powdery mildew may occur.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire; Lobed
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves can be lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets. Leaves are elliptic to lance-shaped, stalkless, and wavy-toothed.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Yellow flowers bloom from May to August. Flowers are 1 to 2 inches, four-petaled, with 4 sepals, 8 stamens and a prominent style with a cross-shaped stigma. Flowers bloom in a multi-flowered terminal panicle that opens in the evening and remains open through morning, closing in the heat of day.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Fruits are available June to September. Narrow seed pods to 1 1/2 inches long that split open when ripe to release up to 100 seeds per capsule.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
In the second year of growth an upright, hairy, reddish-green flower stem (or stems) with spirally arranged leaves rises from the center of the rosette. The stem is topped by a showy bloom.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern Canada, Eastern and Central United States
Distribution
Introduced into Czechia-Slovakia and Germany.
Wildlife value
Attracts pollinators. Supports the following specialized bees: Melissodes (Apomelissodes) fimbriatus and Lasioglossum (Sphecodogastra) oenotherae.