Practical
Plants

Oenothera biennis

Evening Primrose

a biennial member of the Oenothera genus in the family Onagraceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
biennial
Height
1.2 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Lepidoptera, Bees, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Lepidoptera, Bees, Self

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - cooked. Boiled and eaten like salsify[18][3][16][17][20]. Fleshy, sweet and succulent[22]. Wholesome and nutritious[9]. A peppery taste[5]. The taste somewhat resembles salsify or parsnips[8]. Young shoots - raw or cooked[9][3][19][23][8]. Mucilaginous, with a peppery flavour, they are best used sparingly[5]. Another source suggests that the shoots should not be eaten[24]. Flowers - sweet. Used in salads or as a garnish[8]. Young seedpods - cooked. Steamed[8]. The seed contains 28% of a drying oil[2]. It is edible and a very good source of gamma-linolenic acid[4], an essential fatty acid that is not found in many plant sources and has numerous vital functions in the body. The seed, however, is very small and difficult to harvest, it has to be done by hand[6]. Overall yields are low, making the oil very expensive to produce.

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seedpod

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark and the leaves are astringent and sedative[18][11]. They have proved of use in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders of a functional origin, whooping cough and asthma[18]. A syrup made from the flowers is also an effective treatment for whooping cough[21]. The bark is stripped from the flowering stem and dried for later use, the leaves are also harvested and dried at this time[18]. Evening primrose oil has become a well-known food supplement since the 1980's. Research suggests that the oil is potentially very valuable in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, pre-menstrual tension, hyperactivity etc[20]. It is also taken internally in the treatment of eczema, acne, brittle nails, rheumatoid arthritis and alcohol-related liver damage[14]. Regular consumption of the oil helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the blood pressure[11][20]. The seed is a good source of gamma-linolenic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid which assists the production of hormone-like substances[12][14]. This process is commonly blocked in the body, causing disorders that affect the uterine muscles, nervous system and metabolism[14]. The poulticed root is applied to piles and bruises[12]. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of obesity and bowel pains[12].

Product or use
Anticholesterolemic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Hypotensive
Product or use
Miscellany
Product or use
Sedative

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The oil from the seed is added to skin preparations and cosmetics. It is often combined with vitamin E to prevent oxidation[14]. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[21]. A finely ground powder made from the flowering stems is used cosmetically in face-masks to counteract reddened skins[21].

Product or use
Cosmetic
Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Labrador, south to Florida and Texas. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Dunes, roadsides, railway banks and waste places in Britain[7], often in sandy soils[18].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow in situ from late spring to early summer[10].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a dryish well-drained sandy loam and a warm sunny position[1][18][10], though it is tolerant of most soils[18]. Heavy clay soils may induce winter rots[10]. Grows well on very poor soils[6][14]. Established plants are drought resistant[6]. Formerly cultivated for its edible roots, the evening primrose is being increasingly cultivated for the oil contained in its seed which contains certain essential fatty acids and is a very valuable addition to the diet[20]. See the notes on medicinal uses for more details. The flowers open in the evening and are strongly scented with a delicious sweet perfume[15], attracting pollinating moths[18]. The seeds are a good food source for birds[10]. Plants usually self-sow freely if they are growing in a suitable position, they can naturalize in the wild garden[4, K].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq.

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  3. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

    ↩1↩2

  4. Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820

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  5. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2

  6. Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  12. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. - Radio 4 Farming Programme, 25/08/95. - 1995-00-00

  14. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  15. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  16. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

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  17. Organ. J. Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table. Faber 1960-00-00

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  18. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  19. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

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  20. Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-946284-51-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  21. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  22. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

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  23. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

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  24. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

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