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Plant Profile

Colorado Butterfly Plant (Oenothera coloradensis)

Oenothera coloradensis in flower in habitat.

Photo Credit: Matt Webb

Global Rank: T2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Onagraceae
State: CO, NE, WY
Nature Serve ID: 149254
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 05/28/1986

Description:

The meadows that hug stream banks on the plains of southeastern Wyoming and adjacent Colorado and Nebraska are lush compared to the shortgrass prairie of the surrounding uplands. These refreshing places are the last stand of the Colorado butterfly plant, a plant threatened with extinction due to the loss and alteration of this rare meadow habitat.

Where is Colorado Butterfly Plant (Oenothera coloradensis) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Subirrigated, alluvial soils on level or slightly sloping floodplains and drainage bottoms, and old, abandoned stream channels with a high water table. Colonies are often found in low depressions or along bends in wide, meandering stream channels. Most populations are found a short distance from the actual channel and may even occur at the base of low, alluvial ridges at the interface between riparian meadows and drier grasslands. Elevation 5000-6400 ft.

Distribution:

Limited to approximately 1700 acres of habitat centered in Laramie County, Wyoming, with scattered populations in western Kimball County, Nebraska and Weld County, Colorado. Historically, native popul

States & Provinces:

Colorado Butterfly Plant can be found in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming

Which CPC Partners conserve Colorado Butterfly Plant (Oenothera coloradensis)?

Denver Botanic Gardens

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

Lauritzen Gardens

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/11/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Tina Stanley

09/15/2023

In 2010, Denver Botanic Gardens collected 4,195 seeds from a wild population of Oenothera coloradensis at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area in CO. Seed was divided, with some held in orthodox storage and others used for germination research.

09/19/2020

Propagated successfully from seed with and without 3 month cold/moist stratification pretreatment (Nebraska Statewide Arboretum).

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Occurs on a small number of sites globally, some threatened by mowing and spraying. Only a few protected sites. Population fluctuations inherent to biennial taxa.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Overgrazing by livestock. Mowing habitat for hay before seed is released. Herbicides. Competition from weeds. Loss of habitat to urban expansion. (USFWS 2000)

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Fertig (1998) estimated the entire population of this taxon to contain between 47,000 and 50,000 reproductive plants.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Propagated successfully from seed with and without 3 month cold/moist stratification pretreatment (Nebraska Statewide Arboretum).

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Periodic disturbance events are necessary to maintain suitable habitat, control competing vegetation, and open bare ground for seedling establishment. Historically, flooding was the most important type of disturbance. Moderate, rotational grazing and haying may be potential management tools to create open habitat (Fertig 2000b). Two occurrences on Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne, WY are within a designated Research Natural Area and are protected from spraying, mowing and livestock grazing. All other occurrences are on private land or state lands managed primarily for agriculture (Fertig 2000b).

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Population monitoring. Establish additional populations within historic range.

Jim Locklear

01/01/2010

Additional seed banking.