This month we're shining a spotlight on Bigseed Evening Primrose — also known as Ozark Sundrops, and Missouri Evening Primrose. A plains native, it blooms all summer long, opening its unusually large flowers in the evening and holding them only until the next day, when they wilt to make room for the next night's show.

One of its unique features is its broad and tidy leaves arranged on red stems. Most xeric plants have small, finely textured leaves — in design terms, "fine" foliage — and Bigseed Evening Primrose offers a welcome contrast, its bold leaves anchoring the eye while its oversized flowers bring a burst of color rarely seen in the Western garden.

In keeping with our definition of "low-maintenance," this plant asks for exactly one thing from human hands each year: cut it back to the ground each spring, before new growth starts. And resist any urge to deadhead — the faded blooms turn orange and are just as much a part of the show, their warm, weathered color playing beautifully against the plant's fresh yellow flowers still opening alongside them. And then there are the starfruit-sized and shaped seeds (hence the common name “bigseed”), that are themselves a wonder!

Beyond that, it's remarkably self-sufficient — low water, moderately deer resistant, and generous with its blooms all season long.

A close up of the dusky orange hues of the Evening Primrose faded blooms.