| Author | (Small) W.L. Wagner & Hoch | |
| Distribution | Throughout the southeastern portion of the Coastal Plain, ranging north to Beaufort and southern Dare (Outer Banks) counties, but inland only within about 30-40 miles of the coast.
This is a Southern Coastal Plain species, ranging north to eastern NC, and south to southern FL and MS. | |
| Abundance | Fairly common very close to the immediate coast, less numerous a few miles beyond coastal regions. | |
| Habitat | This species favors sandy places, such as near the margins of maritime forests and thickets, dry and sandy pinelands, sandy fields, and roadsides; it even grows in vacant lots, as long as the ground is sandy. | |
| Phenology | Blooms from May to September, and fruits shortly after flowering. | |
| Identification | This species is quite similar to O. gaura, a mainly montane plant in the state. It grows 3-5 feet tall, rarely to 6 feet tall, erect, with numerous alternate leaves. The leaves are smaller and narrower than on the other species, being about 2-3 inches long and no more than 2/5-inch wide. The flowers are very similar, with usually 4 elliptical white petals, turning pink to rarely red, but are smaller, barely 1/8-inch long; the sepals are longer and are reflexed. Look at photos of this species, to make sure you understand the odd character of the flowers, but once you understand what to search for, you hopefully can spot it in sandy places close to the southern coast. The tall form (often over 4 feet tall) will normally be quite obvious. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | This species was long known as Gaura angustifolia for many decades, until moved to Oenothera simulans.
| |
| Other Common Name(s) | Southeastern Gaura | |
| State Rank | S3 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
