A Drop of Golden Sun
Would you rather hear this article? Click on the above audio to take a short “Walk In the Woods” at Harmony Hill!
Time spent walking in the woods can almost be like looking through a kaleidoscope this time of year. Flowers are bursting with colors of reds, blues, yellows, and purples. Birds carry the rainbow upon their backs, as cardinals, goldfinches, buntings, and warblers dart through the trees. Butterflies rival the very plants they visit for nectar, with an iridescence and brightness that looks as though they were refracted through a prism. Even on days when we might not have as much energy to bound out of bed and explore the forest, and yes, we have those days on occasion, Mother Nature recharges our batteries and reinvigorates our spirits with shades Crayola would be envious of.
It was on one such walk that we came upon a small stand of wildflowers just on the edge of a wooded area. Even though a common species of spring, the sheer brightness and eye-popping color of this flower is reason to celebrate and take a moment to investigate its natural history.
Going by a few different common names such as Narrowleaf Evening Primrose and Sundrops, Oenothera fruticosa is brilliant bloomer in early spring at Harmony Hill.
But what’s in name? A member of the Evening Primrose family, (Onagraceae), Narrowleaf Evening Primrose doesn’t exactly abide by the rules of the family. Instead of blooming in the evening, this species blooms early in the day! Despite it being a diurnal evening primrose, the Narrowleaf Evening Primrose does have narrow, lanceolate (or shaped like a lance) leaves. And the origin of the name, Sundrops, can be seen in the blossom that looks bright and shiny, as drops of sunlight atop the stem of this plant.
What about the scientific name, Oenothera fruticosa? The genus name is a bit complicated, with no one entirely sure of the etymology. The translation means “wine seeker”, but that doesn’t really tell us anything. This plant doesn’t grow in vineyards or prefer to grow near grapes. Well, most naturalists think it might be that the roots of a similar plant or a relative of Sundrops was used to add flavor or scent to wines centuries ago.
One thing we can agree on is that, when in full bloom, Narrowleaf Evening Primrose is as intoxicating as any wine could be to the soul.
Blooming from late April to late June during some years, we’ve seen rainfall and temperature impact that bloom time. If winter and spring rains don’t develop or it tends to get hotter early in the spring, it isn’t out of the question to see Narrowleaf Evening Primrose bloom only in May. This year has been a good year for Sundrops, as we first saw it blooming in very late April and the last blooms were finishing up just a couple weeks ago.
In our time in the field here at Harmony Hill, we couldn’t help but notice the obvious attraction Narrowleaf Evening Primrose holds for pollinator species. Sure enough, a wonderful variety of pollinators visit this gorgeous plant. We’ve observed several species of butterflies taking nectar at the gorgeous blooms, and even witnessed a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird hover and sip at one of the flowers. Moths in the Sphingidae family are also known to take advantage of Sundrops, as well as other evening primrose flowers. They can even be a vital pollinator of evening primroses!
Probably the coolest example of pollination of evening primroses occurs in at least one species of sweat bee, the Eastern Evening Primrose Sweat Bee (Lasioglossum oenotherae). In gardens with cultivar species of evening primrose flowers, the Eastern Evening Primrose Bee is so closely tied to this genus that it is their species name! Being active early in the morning and late in the evening, this specialist sweat bee is active when the garden varieties of primroses are open and become a primary pollinator. One odd fact about this bee is that, despite their dedication and specialization to the Oenothera genus, there have been no reliable reports of this species utilizing native and wild evening primrose plants. That includes Narrowleaf Evening Primrose.
Side note on bee vision and colors that attract them on the landscape; bees see along a different color spectrum than humans. Seeing well into the ultraviolet, bee color vision doesn’t begin on the color spectrum until well into the orange wavelengths, with yellow being the foundation of where they begin to see colors. Red does not register in their vision, but when red mixes with blue and becomes purple (violet!), they absolutely respond.
Bees are also capable of seeing where one shape ends and another begins, with particularly acute vision for seeing changes in light and dark. Though quite good at noticing where something ends, soft edges and smooth lines can prove difficult for them to discern.
Flowers have evolved far more to meet the needs of pollinators like bees than bees have evolved to take advantage of flowers. Flowers with colors between yellow-orange and violet attract bees by sight more than black, red, or white flowers. Flowers with crisp edges to their petals also attract bees more often.
But, as technology has advanced, we have discovered patterns and shapes of flowers unseen by human eyes. Under ultraviolet light, we have begun to see patterns that look exactly like bullseyes and landing strips that are billboards advertising “EAT HERE” or “STOP BY FOR THE BEST NECTAR IN TOWN”!
Found across much of North America, the beauty of Sundrops was revered by early European settlers. It was eventually taken to Europe and introduced due to its brilliant yellow flowers, as well as introduced to other states and provinces. Originally, it was found from New England, down to Florida and westward to eastern Oklahoma.
With four petals of near perfect sunlight yellow, it is obvious to anyone why bees and other insects would be attracted to Narrowleaf Evening Primrose.
We’d like to provide a tip for identifying this plant when you encounter it. The leaf arrangement on Sundrops is usually alternate, particularly farther down the stem of the plant. However, as you get higher on the stem, and nearer the blooms, it is very likely that you’ll notice the leaves begin occurring opposite one another. Plants usually have sparse leaves, only occurring sporadically on the stem. However, it is not uncommon to find plants with thick arrangements of leaves that look almost roseate in arrangement. Be aware there is a fair degree of variability among this species, sometimes even within the same stand of flowers.
By far, we observe plants with sparse leaves that are long and thin, or lanceolate, in appearance on the property.
Though it is perfectly capable of spreading into areas of well-drained soils and abundant sunlight, we have never seen Narrowleaf Evening Primrose grow out of control or outcompete other wildflowers at Harmony Hill. What we have noticed is the sheer joy the glowing golden flowers, so appropriately nicknamed Sundrops, brings when we see them in the spring. And we have noticed that pollinators also see the loveliness, even if it is more for the prized tastes of nectar and pollen offered by this daytime blooming evening primrose. They exchange that nectar and pollen in return for carrying their pollen to others and making seeds for the next generation of Sundrops. And we’d like to think Mother Nature exchanges the beauty we see in return for us caring for the environment and helping ensure the next generation knows the importance of conserving the water, the air, the flora, and the fauna found around us. We think that is a more than fair trade for what we’re given on a daily basis!