English: Pinkladies; Pink evening primrose; Showy evening primrose; Mexican primrose; Buttercups.
Name: speciosa means showy.
Region: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, northeastern New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas; naturalized in the whole United States, Mexico.
Habitat: rocky prairies, open woodlands, slopes, roadsides, meadows, disturbed areas; drought-resistant; prefers loose, fast-draining soil, full sun.
Use: ornamental, attractive garden plant; leaves, cooked or eaten as a salad, taste is pleasant when harvested before flowers develop.
BotanyHerb; perennial.
Stem: glabrous to pubescent; groundcover; up to to 50 cm tall.
Leaves: pubescent; alternate; petiole very short or lacking, sessile; 10 cm long, 4 cm broad.; variable in shape, linear to obovate; toothed or wavy-edged.
Flowers: single; four-petaled; cup-shaped; on the upper leaf axils; fragrant; start out white, later shell-pink; blooming throughout the summer into early autumn, day and night, typically in the pre-dawn hours; throats, as well as the stigmas and stamens, have a soft yellow color.
Pollination: insects, moths are the most common.