Flower profile
Yellow sundrops
Oenothera serrulata
Yellow sundrops (Oenothera serrulata) is a low shrub in the Onagraceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly June–July across the U.S.
Yellow sundrops is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Nebraska, North Dakota
Quick look
Oenothera serrulata is a species of flowering plant in the Onagraceae known by the common name yellow sundrops. Other common names include halfshrub sundrop, serrate-leaved evening primrose, shrubby evening primrose, plains yellow primrose, and halfleaf sundrop. It is native to central North America, including central Canada and the central United States.
- It belongs to the Onagraceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 21 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Nebraska and North Dakota. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 183 research-grade sightings of it in Nebraska, ranking #87 among the 147 flowers on our Nebraska list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 148 research-grade sightings of it in North Dakota, ranking #49 among the 116 flowers on our North Dakota list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | Native | few records (9) | 183 |
| North Dakota | Native | few records (15) | 148 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Nebraska
- Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
- North Dakota
- No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (SH), IN (S1), KY (SH), WI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records yellow sundrops in 21 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Nebraska counties with USDA records: Adams, Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Buffalo, Cass, Cedar, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Cuming, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dodge, Douglas, Dundy, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Howard, Jefferson, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, McPherson, Morrill, Nuckolls, Pawnee, Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Red Willow, Richardson, Rock, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thayer, Thomas, Valley, Webster, Wheeler.
North Dakota counties with USDA records: Adams, Barnes, Benson, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Cass, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grand Forks, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger, Kidder, McHenry, McIntosh, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Oliver, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Ransom, Richland, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Steele, Stutsman, Ward, Wells, Williams.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Calylophus australis, Meriolix intermedia, Meriolix oblanceolata, Meriolix serrulata.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 481 counties across 20 states; the most are in Kansas (90), Nebraska (70), Minnesota (57).
Other Oenothera on Bloomipedia (11): Pinkladies, Common evening-primrose, Cutleaf evening primrose, Fragrant evening primrose, Scarlet beeblossom, Birdcage evening primrose, Bigfruit evening primrose, Pale evening primrose, False gaura, Fourpoint evening primrose.
More from the Onagraceae family (19 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Fireweed, California fuchsia, Broadleaf enchanter's nightshade, Elegant clarkia, Sun cup, Dwarf fireweed, Peruvian primrose-willow, Golden suncup.
More Nebraska flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CASE12.
- iNaturalist, Oenothera serrulata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Oenothera serrulata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Nebraska: Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004).
- Nebraska: Nebraska noxious weeds (25 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 10, § 001.02).
- North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Oenothera serrulata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Bonnie Isaac via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.