Lindheimer's Beeblossom

How to grow Lindheimer's Beeblossom

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in spring, never autumn, so it has a full season to establish before winter. Full sun and light, free-draining soil are essential; it is winter wet rather than cold that kills it. It has a taproot and does not like being moved.

Pruning

Cut back in spring rather than autumn, leaving the top growth on over winter as protection. A trim in midsummer will tidy a plant that has become sprawling and encourage further flowering.

Propagation

Softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer are the most reliable route. Seed germinates readily. Division rarely works well because of the taproot.

Pests and diseases

Few pests. The usual failure is crown or root rot after a wet winter in heavy soil.

Value to wildlife

Bees and hoverflies visit the small flowers, which open in succession over a very long summer season.

Notes

Treat it as short-lived, particularly on clay or in a cold garden, and take a few cuttings each summer as insurance. In heavy soil, a raised bed or a gritty container gives much better results than the open ground.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Oenothera lindheimeri but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Oenothera