October 10, 2005
Common Evening Primrose, Oenothera biennis
These lovely yellow flowers are usually not open until late in the afternoon, but cloudy skies have tricked them into opening early. Evening primroses are native wildflowers whose seeds are a favorite fall food of American Goldfinches. By winter, most of their flat-topped seedpods will be broken apart. The birds will consume most of the seeds, but scatter enough to assure that there will be plenty of plants next year.