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There are many desirable perennial evening primroses, raised one year to start flowering from the following season, but far fewer biennials. This one, the common evening primrose that grows wild on waste ground, is a wonderful border plant that is easily raised from seed. Plants first develop deep taproots and rosettes of winter-hardy leaves and then, in the second year, branching stems appear, up to 1.2m (4ft) or even more in fertile soil. These carry the familiar, very fragrant yellow flowers, 5cm (2in) across and opening in the evening.