Evening Primrose


Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis)

Other Names: Common Evening Primrose, Fever plant, Great Evening-Primrose, King's-cure-all, Night willow-herb, Scabish, Scurvish, Tree primrose

Description
Evening Primrose is a North American native biennial plant. The plants are very tall, often 4 to 5 feet or more in height. The stem is erect, stout, soft-hairy, reddish and branching forming a shrub. Leaves are alternate, rough-hairy, lanceolate, about 3 to 6 inches long and lemon-scented. The taproot is elongated, fibrous, yellow on the outside and whitish within. The flower spikes grow on auxiliary branches all along the stalk. They are about 2-1/2 inched in diameter, bright yellow and have four petals, a cross shaped stigma and a refluxed calyx (leaves under petals). The flowers open in the evening and close up during the day and are strongly scented with a delicious sweet perfume which attracts pollinating moths. The fruit is an oblong 1 in. capsule
containing many tiny reddish seeds.

Habitat
Evening Primrose is found east of the Rockies to the Atlantic. Naturalized in Britain but found all over the world. It grows by roadsides, railway banks and waste places in dry open soils, gravelly places, meadows and old fields. Evening Primrose blooms from June to September. The entire plant is edible, gather edible roots and leaves in spring may be frozen, gather flowers, buds and young seed pods in bloom, gather entire plant in fall and dry for later herb use. Evening Primrose Oil is made from pressing oil from the tiny seeds. You can also grind the seeds of Evening Primrose and use them as you would flax seed.
Cultivation
Evening primrose is easily cultivated, it prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) well-drained soils and requires full sun. Plants will last two years and are self sowing.

Properties
Evening Primrose is edible and medicinal and has a long history of use as an alternative medicine . The leaves are cooked and eaten as greens and the roots are said to be sweet succulent and delicious when boiled like potatoes. Flowers are a sweet addition to salads or as a garnish and young seedpods are Steamed. This plant was a staple food for many Native American tribes. Formerly cultivated for its nutritious edible roots, it is being increasingly cultivated for the oil
contained in its seeds which contains certain the essential gamma-linoleinc acid (GLA), a very valuable fatty acid that is not found in many plants and has numerous vital functions in the body. GLA is an essential fatty acid that the body does not manufacture.
This fatty acid is known to help prevent hardening of the arteries, heart disease, eczema, cirrhosis, rheumatoid arthritis, menopause, PMS, multiple sclerosis, and high blood pressure. It has a positive effect on sex hormone response including the hormones estrogen and testosterone, aids in lowering cholesterol levels, and is important in treating cirrhosis of the liver. Research also demonstrates that primrose oil helps relieve pain and inflammation. The oil also has a positive effect on the uterine muscles, nervous system and metabolism. The bark and the leaves are astringent and sedative. They have proved of use in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders, whooping cough and asthma. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of obesity. A finely ground powder made from the flowering stems is used cosmetically in face-masks to counteract reddened skins.
Evening Primrose Oil.....

Evening-Primrose-Oil-oenothera-biennis

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening primrose oil, a small yellow wildflower (Oenothera biennis), is rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are also plentiful in foods, notably nuts and seed.
Evening primrose oil supplies another fatty acid, known as gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA (not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid, which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids). You actually don’t need to consume GLA, because your body synthesizes it from linoleic acid and converts it to hormone-like chemicals important in maintaining health.
Evening Primrose Oil Benefits:
Evening primrose oil is said to cure, treat, or prevent rheumatoid arthritis, breast pain, hot flashes, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, and other skin problems; evening primrose oil is also said to lower blood cholesterol, and to be beneficial against diabetic neuropathy, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and heart disease.

Evening Primrose Oil bottom line:
Evening primrose oil is not effective against diabetic neuropathy. Current evidence shows evening primrose oil of no value in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome, diabetes, or heart disease. Evening primrose oil and similar products are unproven for any medical or health purpose. Manufacturers of evening primrose oil make troubling, unfounded, and illegal claims.

What are Some Uses of Evening Primrose Oil?

What are Some Uses of Evening Primrose Oil?

Menopause - Evening primrose oil is often used for conditions affecting women's health, such as breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle, menopausal symptoms, and premenstrual
syndrome. PMS suffers were given evening primrose oil three times daily, 67% of the participants were symptom-free and 22% achieved partial relief.

Eczema - Evening primrose oil has been used since the 1930s for treating eczema. Evening primrose oil is approved for skin disorders in several countries outside of the United States.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - It is sometimes used for trating conditions involving inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoporosis - Primrose oil has been suggested as a possible treatment for bone loss and osteoporosis.

Heart Disease - Evening primrose oil has been used for decreasing the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.

Hangovers - EPO seems to ease the effects of alcohol withdrawal, hangovers, and alcohol poisoning.

Diabetes - Early studies suggest that evening primrose oil may be helpful in diabetes.

Diabetic Neuropathy - Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve condition sometimes caused by diabetes.