The pungent flowers of the narrowleaf evening primrose open around sunset, and bloom all night long. Photo © Bill Jennings
An Imperiled Native Wildflower
The rare habitat type of the narrowleaf evening primrose, also called the Flaming Gorge evening-primrose, is especially sensitive to disturbance, including excessive livestock trampling and off-road vehicles. Its range is restricted to the northeast corner of Utah and the northwest corner of Colorado.
Natural History
The narrowleaf evening primrose is found only above 5,000 ft. in the eastern Uinta Mountains of Utah and on Diamond, Cold Spring, and Douglas Mountains of northwestern Colorado. This beautiful wildflower, with bright yellow flowers that turn reddish orange as they age, grows only in seasonal stream beds and shallow depressions in forest meadows.
Conservation Status
- BLM Sensitive Species in Colorado
Action Taken
In April 2006, Center for Native Ecosystems petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the narrowleaf evening primrose under the Endangered Species Act. In the meantime, local ranchers have been working cooperatively with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program to inventory primrose populations for protection purposes. We at Center for Native Ecosystems hope to work out a conservation agreement with private landowners to ensure a long-term fix to overgrazing problems in the primrose’s habitat.
Read More
Petition to List Narrowleaf Evening Primrose as Endangered or Threatened
