Macro - Wild Evening Primrose

The wild evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a biennial, herbaceous flowering plant native to North America. This gorgeous weed was among the first botanical specimens brought back to Europe by early American colonists. Evening Primrose grows wild throughout the U.S. Loved for its many medicinal benefits, it earned the name "King's Cure-All."

Evening primrose prefers well-drained soil and full sun. These hardy plants can tolerate acidic to neutral soil and can be seen growing wild along roadways. They will spread throughout dry open regions of the eastern United States such as railroad beds and rocky wastelands. The plant will grow up to 4 feet tall with flower spikes that grow up and down the plant's rough and hairy stalk. Their yellow, four-petaled blooms appear in the summer months, unfolding in the evening and retreating in the morning. They are pollinated primarily by nocturnal moths.

As a garden plant, evening primrose works well in rock gardens, along borders and in wildflower gardens. Some varieties are known to have a sweet smell, and all primrose cultivars will attract butterflies, bees and, in certain areas, hummingbirds. Desert gardens benefit from this plant's high heat tolerance.

However, primrose has a tendency to spread and should not be used in cramped spaces.

The entire Evening Primrose plant is edible.

According to folklore, the Algonquin, Iroquois and Cherokee Native Americans made herbal medicines from evening primroses to treat skin diseases, breathing problems, headaches and cold symptoms.
The seeds are often ground down into a residue similar to flax seed and eaten as an addition to granola, yogurt, cereals and other dishes. The leaves can be eaten as greens such as kale and the roots are boiled similar to potatoes. Evening primrose, a staple in the Native American diet, is rich in omega 3 fatty acids as well as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a rare form of omega 6.