Prairie Sundrops (Oenothera pilosella)
Prairie Sundrop’s bright yellow, short-lived, fragrant flowers bloom during the day and attract various native bees, butterflies, and skippers (illinoiswildflower.info). It is the host plant to 19 species of butterflies and moths (nwf.org). It is also a host plant to 5 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). The rhizomatous root system can spread semi-vigorously, but its shallow roots make it easy to remove and, thus, somewhat easy to contain. It does appear to be occasionally browsed by herbivores.
Prairie Sundrop’s bright yellow, short-lived, fragrant flowers bloom during the day and attract various native bees, butterflies, and skippers (illinoiswildflower.info). It is the host plant to 19 species of butterflies and moths (nwf.org). It is also a host plant to 5 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). The rhizomatous root system can spread semi-vigorously, but its shallow roots make it easy to remove and, thus, somewhat easy to contain. It does appear to be occasionally browsed by herbivores.
Prairie Sundrop’s bright yellow, short-lived, fragrant flowers bloom during the day and attract various native bees, butterflies, and skippers (illinoiswildflower.info). It is the host plant to 19 species of butterflies and moths (nwf.org). It is also a host plant to 5 specialist bees (Johnson and Colla, 2023). The rhizomatous root system can spread semi-vigorously, but its shallow roots make it easy to remove and, thus, somewhat easy to contain. It does appear to be occasionally browsed by herbivores.
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full, but can probably tolerate some light shade
Soil Moisture: Medium/wet-Medium/dry
Height: 1.5-2 feet
Plant Spacing: 1.5-2 feet
Bloom Time: May-June
Bloom Color: Yellow
Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Caterpillar Favorite, Recommended but vigorous
Host Plant: 19 species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)
Specialist Bee: Svastra compta, Lasioglossum lusorium, L. oenotherae, L. texanum, Megachile oenotherae (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
