Evening primrose
Oenothera biennis

Family: Onagraceae

What it is like

A herb. It often grows as a biennial growing one year and flowering and seeding the next. It grows 1.5 m tall and spreads 40-50 cm wide. It has a long fleshy taproot. The leaves are in a ring near the base in the first year. In the second year an erect hairy stem with a smaller leaves appears. The stem is 1 m high. The flowers are yellow. They have 4 distinct petals. The flowers have a sweet scent in the evening. The fruit are hairy seed pods. The seeds are reddish-brown.

There are about 125 Oenothera species. The oil from the seeds are used for Menstral problems. It also has an anti-inflammatory compound.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It will grow in dry poor soils. In China it grows in open disturbed places from sea level to 1,500 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. In Hobart Botanical gardens. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. Tasmania Herbarium. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Is., Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Manchuria, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, North America (country/location of origin), Norway, Pacific, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, SE Asia, Siberia, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tunisia, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The leaves can be used raw in salads. They are also used as a potherb. They can be cooked as a vegetable. The young roots are eaten raw or cooked. They are boiled in 2 changes of water to remove bitterness then added to soups and stews. The sweet flowers can be used in salads or garnish in pickles. The seeds yield an oil that can be used for salads or as a food supplement. Young pods are steamed and eaten.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Roots, leaves, seeds - oil, herb, flowers, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

The highest linolenic acid levels are achieved on poor soils with a low nitrogen level.

Its other names

Local names

Bunga sore, Don-la-ban, Dvoletni svetlin, Evening Star, Gardener's ham, German rampion, Luminnita noptii, Naktivaisa, Primros kuning, Sun drop

Synonyms

Brunyera biennis Bubani; Oenothera muricata L.; Oenothera suaveolens Desf.; Onagra biennis (L.) Scop.; Onagra muricata (L.) Moench.; and others