Oenothera primiveris is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name desert evening primrose. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in many types of desert habitat. This is a hairy annual herb producing a dense rosette of leaves in which the inflorescence occurs; there is generally no true stem. The green or grayish leaves are up to 28 centimeters long and have wavy or crinkled edges, or are cut into deep lobes or teeth. Flowers arise from the axils of the leaves. Each flower has yellow petals up to 4 centimeters in length which fade orange or red with age. The fruit is a straight or curving capsule up to 6 centimeters in length.