Help. Does anyone know what this plant is?

Katrina R
by Katrina R
It's flowers are yellow with four petals, and the leaves are similar to dandelions in appearance. This plant blooms only at night and each blossom lasts only one night.
the leaves and buds
overall of plant form
close up of flower.
  11 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 23, 2012
    It looks like evening primrose (Oenothera albicaulis).
  • Katrina R Katrina R on Aug 23, 2012
    Yes! Thank you Doug! I googled your information and it seems to match the prairie evening primrose. I will be bringing it in for sure when the temp. starts to drop.I don't think a desert plant would be too happy in my NY snow.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 24, 2012
    They're usually an annual, Katrina, so it may not make it through the winter even if you bring it in.
  • Katrina R Katrina R on Aug 24, 2012
    oh no, can I try to keep seeds from it?
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 25, 2012
    You can. That's how it works in nature!
  • Katrina R Katrina R on Aug 25, 2012
    Thanks Doug, I'll give it a try.
  • Freda Freda on Sep 23, 2013
    It sounds like a Moon Flower. They bloom only at night and last only one night per bloom.
  • Joanne Menke Joanne Menke on Sep 25, 2013
    We also call them Moon Flower, and they winter over with no problem in Rochester, NY... fun to watch the flower start to shake and pop open within a minute right about dusk! I video taped it happening and it is very cool!
  • Jean Adams Jean Adams on Apr 01, 2014
    The lady who gave me one said it was mentioned in the Bible, but where? I cannot find it. Thanx
  • Toni Teague Toni Teague on Apr 27, 2014
    Although these are considered annuals they are what are know as self seeding plants, The seeds that fall to the ground will plant themselves in the soil and bring you new plants for the following year. Please use caution when cleaning up your fall foliage and leave the clean up to the folling spring or your might remove all of your self sown seeds.
  • Sue Kiene Sue Kiene on Jun 25, 2016
    They do not reseed themselves in all locations. I live near the Ohio Michigan border and we have to treat them like annuals. If you want them next year you have to take one of the seed pods in and plant them again in the spring.