Oenothera deltoides

Oenothera deltoides

Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Genus: Oenothera
Species:
O. deltoides
Binomial name
Oenothera deltoides
Subspecies
  • O. d. subsp. ambigua
  • O. d. subsp. cognata
  • O. d. subsp. deltoides
  • O. d. subsp. howellii
  • O. d. subsp. julpunensis
  • O. d. subsp. piperi

Oenothera deltoides is a species of evening primrose known by several common names, including birdcage evening primrose, basket evening primrose, lion in a cage, and devil's lantern. It is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy habitats from desert to beach.

The plant is grayish with basal, deltoid leaves. The large white flowers turn pinkish as they mature. When the plants die, the stems curl upward and form the "birdcage" for which the common name is derived.