​Prairie Evening Primrose, Whitest Evening Primrose,Oenothera albicaulis,Evening Primrose Family (Onagreaceae)

The Bloom Blog
Blooming this week in the environs of Abiquiú
By Wildflowers of the Southern Rocky Mountains 

Photo credit John George

Found in sandy, disturbed soil, roadsides
Seen blooming in late July by Hwy 554

Patches of this bright white Evening Primrose have been blooming since June. It grows to about 18 inches high with many branches and pale stems. Flowers are over one inch across, with four heart-shaped petals, and are pleasantly fragrant. Like all evening primroses, the flowers open near sunset then wilt and turn pink in the heat of the sun the next morning. Traditionally, the plant was used as tobacco, the roots were used to make a poultice or lotion to treat swellings, sore throats, and muscle strains, the fruits and seeds were added to soup or made into gravy. Marriageable Hopi maids used flowers in their hair on holidays. The Zuni High Priest and the Sun Priest of the Corn Maidens gave the blossoms to young girls who chewed the blossoms, ejected the mass into their hands and rubbed it on their neck, breast, arms and hands to ensure that they would dance well so that it would rain and the corn would grow. Source.
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If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to contact@rockymountainsflora.com. Read online for tips.