# What is this?



## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

It looks like a pink evening primrose, but I can't find any pictures of it online. Most primroses seem to have large flowers. Does anyone know in what areas it grows, and what the common name for it might be? I've never seen it around here at all except for this patch.

It's been growing in a colony by the roadside up by one of my hayfields for the last 25 years or more. Pretty sure it came by blowing off of a vehicle or maybe a bird. On a good year, it really shows up with a lot of hot pink flowers on it. The seeds have dandelion-like parachutes when mature, but it hasn't spread much from the place where I first saw it. And the plant stands a good four feet tall.


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## Ozark Mountain Jewel (Jul 12, 2009)

I think Evening Primrose -Oernothera spp - is yellow but it does look like evening primrose otherwise. I'll be very interested to know when you find out.


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

Yep, Jewel, I hope someone comes through for me.  I've been looking at that plant for 25 years wondering what it is!


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Evening primrose can be pink. 

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d238


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## kuther (Feb 18, 2015)

It looks like it is fireweed which is in the evening -primrose family.


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

Hmm. Fireweed certainly is close, if it isn't it. I'll have to take a closer look at the plant. It matches a lot, but I don't think of this plant as being a spikey looking bloom. It's more general over-all on the plant, if you understand that. But it could be just an individual difference or slight variation. 

I see on this website http://www.pollenlibrary.com/Specie/Bassia+scoparia/ that it is in Central NYS, and where I am is a resort/summer people area. Most of the summer people here are from Rochester/Syracuse area.

Thanks so much, kuther! I think you have given me a solid lead if not the answer! After 25 years of wondering.


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