Oenothera biennis (evening-primrose)
Well it's official - today is the first day of autumn. In truth, there have been numerous warning signs, not the least of which is the absence of blossoms on this evening-primrose. A month ago this plant was festooned with yellow flowers but now, only a few remain.
Wildflowers that aim to attract bees are usually yellow or purple, because these are the colors that a bee's eyes are most sensitive to. Butterfly-pollinated flowers tend to be pink or red for the same reason. Logically, moth-pollinated plants usually have white flowers (easier to see in the dark) or strongly-scented blossoms like honeysuckle. Orange honeysuckle is pollinated by hummingbirds and this explains its bright color.
As for me, I'm getting out my scarf and wooly mittens, because as autumn advances (just like this evening-primrose) we all know what's coming next.
