What is Evening Primrose?

Evening Primrose, or Oenothera, grows in almost every climate across North and South America. Some species grow large yellow flowers that tilt downward, which has led to these particular species being called suncup or sundrop. The Evening Primrose can grow in the harsh alpine peaks of the Chilean Andes or equally well in the elevations closer to sea level. The alpine Evening Primrose is usually small, only growing a few inches tall, while the varieties in the lower elevations can grow up to several feet tall.

The name Evening Primrose came about because the large yellow flowers open up in the evening as the sun is going down. The peculiar blooming habits of the Evening Primrose are matched by the odd way it must be pollinated. Their peculiar biology only allows the plants to be pollinated by certain species of bees and moths that also have unique anatomical properties different from common bee and moth species. The evening blooming of the flowers also means they are only able to be pollinated while most species of bee are inactive.

Despite the innate difficulty the plant has in reproducing itself, Evening Primrose crops up as one of the first arrivers in patches of bare earth unfriendly to most other species. It appears to have originated in Mexico and South America but with the advent of international travel, Evening Primrose is popping up in temperate climates all over the world.

Uses

Some people do consume Evening Primrose in a culinary capacity, opting to use the roots which have a peppery flavor. The shoots can also be eaten as a salad or the whole plant can be used in a number of medicinal remedies.

Most folk medicine calls for Evening Primrose to be used as a mild astringent or sedative. People usually dry the plant and ground it up to be made into a tea for asthmatic cough, whooping cough and as a pain killer.

Oil from the seeds of the Evening Primrose contains 7-10% gamma-linoleic acid, a fatty acid, and 70% linoleic acid. These fatty acids show some promise as treatments for breast cancer but no clinical trials prove Evening Primrose is useful for any of the other benefits ascribed to it.

Risks

There are no standards for the use or manufacture of Evening Primrose as a homeopathic medication or as a dietary supplement. Certain properties of Evening Primrose could be harmful to people with any kind of blood disorder, schizophrenia or epilepsy. Caution should also be taken if you are pregnant. The effects on unborn children are unknown but the properties of Evening Primrose could be cause for concern for mothers of unborn children.

Final Thought

There isn’t a lot of evidence that Evening Primrose is effective but individuals still claim it works on just about anything. Most herbal supplements have that problem, but hundreds of years of anecdotal evidence from the people who have used natural herbs with success is significant even if there have not yet been studies conducted to prove their effectiveness.