How to Contain Mexican Evening Primrose

Mexican Evening Primrose attract bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Mexican Evening Primrose is a perennial that is cold hardy in zones 5 through 9. This plant sends out runners or rhizomes underground and sends up sprouts that will root and send out more runners. Mexican Evening Primrose is known as an invasive plant that thrives on little to no care. It does die back in the winter.

Mexican Evening Primrose is native to the Southwest. It grows in poor soil and is drought-tolerant. The plant is used as ground cover because it grows rapidly. This primrose variety bears pink flowers, about two inches across. Some people enjoy the light, sweet fragrance, while others claim there is no fragrance.

Things You'll Need

• wooden or plastic headers
• concrete mow strips
• weed killer

Instructions

1. 

   Wild flowers growing on an open slope

   Plant Mexican Evening Primrose on open, dry slopes and areas where you do not plan to plant anything else. According to Denver Plants, the roots of this primrose will rot if kept wet for too long. Using water to flood a section of Evening Primrose is one solution to containing the plant.

2. 

   Mexican Evening Primrose sprouts from rhizomes

   The New Mexico State University suggests planting Mexican Evening Primrose two feet apart to avoid having it become invasive. The stems die back after blooming. To keep the plant blooming longer, cut and remove the spent flowers. This primrose will re-bloom until the stems die back in the winter.

3. 

   Natural or concrete barriers can contain invasive plants.

   Contain Mexican Evening Primrose with wooden or plastic headers according to Bob Chapman, 1991 winner of Quill and Trowel Award of the Garden Writers Association of America. Mr. Chapman also suggests the use of concrete mow strips to contain this primrose.

4. Spray a commercial weed killer on the roots of Mexican Evening Primrose that appear outside a container or barrier to keep the plant from invading other plants.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan carefully before planting Mexican Evening Primrose. This plant multiples rapidly, but does no apparent harm to other plants nearby.

References

• Denver Plants
• New Mexico State University
• Bob Chapman