California Primrose
Eulobus californicus · Onagraceae
- Form
- Annual herb
- Height
- 0.5-2 ft
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Water
- Very Low
- Blooms
- Mar, Apr, May
- Pet toxicity
- Unknown
- Habitat
- Desert · Coastal Sage Scrub · Chaparral · Grassland
🌿 California native
Quick facts · Habitat: Sandy flats, dry slopes, open scrub, desert edges · Form / size: Spring annual, 0.5-2 ft · Sun: Full sun · Water: Winter rain only · Blooms: Spring · Pollinator value: Moderate
Description
A delicate annual with pale yellow to cream evening-primrose flowers and narrow leaves. It often appears after winter rains in open, sandy, or disturbed native habitats.
Wildlife & pollinators
Native bees and moths visit the flowers; the plant adds to the spring annual bloom mosaic.
Habitat & range
Desert edges, open coastal sage scrub, chaparral openings, sandy flats, roadsides, and grassland gaps across Southern California.
In the garden
Useful in dry wildflower mixes for open soil. It is seasonal and should be allowed to set seed.
Propagation
From seed. Sow in fall in open sandy or gravelly soil.
Where to see it near you
- iNaturalist — observed in Southern California
- Sandy flats, open scrub, and desert-edge wildflower areas in spring.
Problems
Rainfall-dependent and easily crowded out by dense weeds or mulch.
