Question: I really miss the gorgeous perennial sundrops. I think they're really Oenethera, and they flourished around my Detroit home and then again in the San Francisco Bay area. Is there any chance they'd grow here?
The plant you refer to is probably fruticosa and commonly called sundrop in the northern states and Canada. I could find no reference for it being grown in the hotter parts of the Southwest. This particular type of Oenethera may not do particularly well here. I have been proven wrong in the past, so give it a shot. Put it in a bright part of the yard, but away from damaging, late afternoon sun. Make sure the soil is composted and has good drainage. Water it like you would other herbaceous perennials.
Bob Morris is an associate professor with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
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