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I really love looking for wild plants that can be eaten or used as medicine, and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is one of my favorites. Foraging for this wonderful plant is always a highlight of my foraging season. Not only is it widely distributed throughout the U. S. But you can eat every part of the plant, and evening primrose is known to have healing properties.
Finding a new patch of evening primrose and carefully gathering its roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds gives me a rush of excitement. I know that I’m not only giving myself tasty and healthy food, but also natural remedies that have been used for hundreds of years. There is something truly magical about getting food and healing in the wild. Looking for evening primrose is a great example of this.
The evening primrose plant (Oenothera biennis) is a common wildflower native to North America that has been used for both food and medicine for centuries. With edible roots, leaves, flowers, and nutritious seeds, almost every part of this plant can be utilized. Evening primrose also contains gamma-linolenic acid and other compounds that give it medicinal properties. Read on to discover the many ways you can use this multi-purpose wild plant.
An Overview of Evening Primrose
Evening primrose is a biennial plant, meaning it takes two years to complete its lifecycle The first year it produces a basal rosette of leaves and stores energy in a taproot The second year, it sends up a tall flowering stalk that can reach heights over 5 feet.
The leaves are lance-shaped with prominent veins. The flowers have four bright yellow petals that bloom in the evening giving evening primrose its common name. After pollination, the flowers produce long, narrow seed pods filled with reddish-brown seeds.
Evening primrose grows wild in many parts of North America in full sun areas with well-draining soil. It has also become naturalized in some parts of Europe and Asia. Evening primrose thrives along roadsides, meadows, fields, gravel pits, and even suburban landscapes.
Eating Evening Primrose Roots
The taproot of first year evening primrose plants can be dug in early spring and eaten. The roots contain a fair amount of carbohydrates and nutrients.
Many foragers recommend peeling the roots before eating them raw or cooked. The peeled roots have a sweet, mildly spicy flavor reminiscent of parsnips or salsify.
Try chopping the peeled roots into cubes and roasting them with olive oil, salt, and pepper until caramelized. Or add them to soups and stews as you would any root vegetable.
Boiling the roots in multiple changes of water can help mellow their flavor. They can then be mashed like potatoes or served glazed or sautéed.
Using the Leaves of Evening Primrose
Once evening primrose sends up its flowering stalk in year two, the leaves on this stalk can be eaten. The young leaves closest to the ground are the most tender.
The leaves have a slightly bitter, spinach-like taste. They can be eaten raw in moderation or cooked by boiling, sautéing, or steaming.
Chop the leaves finely before adding them to omelets, pastas, soups, green smoothies, pesto, or any recipe that calls for greens.
The leaves grow progressively smaller and less palatable up the flower stalk, so stick to harvesting the leaves on the bottom third of the plant.
Enjoying Evening Primrose Flowers
Clusters of bright yellow flowers bloom on second year evening primrose plants from mid to late summer. The edible flowers have a sweet, mild flavor.
Add the flowers to salads or use them as an edible garnish on desserts. Stuff the blossoms with soft cheese for an attractive appetizer. Or use them to infuse vinegar or olive oil.
Harvest the flowers in the morning after they have just opened or in the evening when they are getting ready to close. Avoid pollinated flowers that have begun to fade.
The unopened flower buds are also edible. Steam them quickly and add to stir fries and other cooked dishes.
Eating the Seeds of Evening Primrose
Once evening primrose goes to seed, the small seeds inside the dried seed pods can be collected and eaten.
Wait until the seed pods turn brown and split open, then harvest the tiny red-brown seeds inside.
The seeds have a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. They can be eaten raw and make a nice crunchy addition to granola, yogurt, salads, and bread.
Try dry roasting or toasting the seeds lightly to bring out more flavor. Then use them as a topping for vegetables, grains, and baked goods.
Grinding the seeds produces an aromatic oil that can also be used for cooking or making salad dressings.
Using Evening Primrose Medicinally
In addition to its culinary uses, evening primrose has a long history of medicinal applications by Native Americans and Europeans.
The seeds are pressed to extract evening primrose oil, which is taken to treat skin conditions like eczema and rheumatoid arthritis pain. It may also help alleviate PMS symptoms.
Teas made from the leaves and roots have been used as tonics to boost energy and treat gastrointestinal issues. The roots can also be made into skin salves.
Though more research is still needed, evening primrose shows potential for treating a variety of health complaints and remains popular in herbal medicine today.
Harvesting Evening Primrose Ethically
When collecting evening primrose to use for food or medicine, be sure to only take what you need. Never harvest evening primrose from parks, wildlife refuges, or other protected natural areas.
Always get permission before foraging evening primrose from private property. And only collect it from roadsides and other areas if you are certain the plants have not been sprayed with herbicides.
When digging roots or collecting leaves, avoid damaging the rest of the plant. And collect seeds judiciously, leaving some behind to propagate more plants.
Growing Evening Primrose in Your Garden
If you want easy access to evening primrose, consider planting it in your flower or herb garden. The plant self-seeds readily, but takes up little space and adds beauty.
In early spring, sow seeds directly in the garden in a sunny spot. Space the plants about 12 inches apart in well-draining soil.
Water regularly until the plants become established. Then water only during periods of drought.
Mulch around the plants to help retain moisture and keep the roots cool. Be sure to harvest the roots after the first year so the plants don’t self-seed aggressively.
Preserving Your Evening Primrose Harvest
To enjoy evening primrose all year long, preserve your harvest by:
- Freezing chopped roots or cooked leaves in ice cube trays for later use
- Drying leaves and flowers to make tea
- Infusing flowers in oil or vinegar
- Pickling peeled and chopped roots
- Making a tincture with roots and leaves in alcohol
- Roasting and storing seeds in an airtight container
With so many edible and medicinal uses, evening primrose is a great wild plant for gardeners, homesteaders, and foragers to get to know and enjoy. Hopefully this overview gives you some ideas for using this versatile weed in your own kitchen and apothecary.
Primrose vs. Evening Primrose
I’ve had many people ask me what the difference is between garden primrose and evening primrose. The truth is. evening primrose is nothing like a garden primrose (Primula sp. ), which isn’t even in the same order, much less the same family. So, when it comes to identifying evening primrose, even beginner foragers will have no trouble telling them apart. Find out where to find evening primrose, how to tell it apart, and what to do with it by reading on.
Where to find Evening Primrose
Evening primrose is a familiar sight to me, as I often find it growing near my home and on my homestead in eastern Connecticut. You’ve probably seen it too since it grows widely throughout the US. In fact, the USDA Forest Service reports that this plant can be found from Pennsylvania west to Nebraska, south to Texas then eastward to Florida. It is also known from Connecticut, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and California. It also occurs in northern Mexico. The native range is southern Missouri through the southeast and to the southwest.
The evening primrose is a true survivor and can thrive in a variety of environments. Based on my observations, I’ve learned that it does best in places with sandy or gravelly soils that drain well. It is also known to grow well next to roads, where it can get plenty of sunlight and water from nearby runoff.
What really interests me about this plant is that it can grow in places that have recently been disturbed and are now open to the sun. This plant can grow in a lot of different places. I’ve seen it in fields, meadows, and on the edges of forests.
There are so many natural resources around me that I feel thankful every time I see an evening primrose in the wild. It’s a reminder that nature gives us everything we need to live, but we have to love and take care of it.
Now let’s talk about how to tell evening primrose from other plants. This pretty flower is a great place to start foraging if you’re new because it’s pretty simple to tell apart once you know what to look for.
The evening primrose is a biennial herbaceous plant that can be told apart from other plants by its leaves, flowers, and seeds.
In its first year, the plant grows a basal rosette of lance-shaped leaves with wavy edges and a light-colored midvein that stands out. It does not flower in its first year.
As the plant grows into its second year, it forms a woody stalk with closely-spaced, shallowly toothed leaves that are arranged in pairs. This stalk grows straight up from the plant’s base and can get as tall as 5 feet. Flowers that are fragrant and pale to bright yellow have four petals that are about 1 to 2 inches wide. They bloom in the summer. The flower, which gives the plant its name, opens in the evening. Moths love the nectar they hold and eat it all up.
After the flowers have bloomed, they produce a long, narrow capsule that contains dozens of small seeds. The capsule is typically green when it first forms and then turns brown as it matures.
When you’re out foraging for evening primrose, keep an eye out for all of these characteristics. The leaves, stem, flowers, and fruit will all help you identify this wonderful plant. As always, only take what you need and leave plenty for wildlife and other people who are also foraging. Happy hunting!.
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FAQ
What parts of evening primrose are medicinal?
How to use fresh evening primrose?
What parts of evening primrose are edible?
Can you eat evening primrose?
Evening Primrose is edible and is also used medicinally, both internally and externally. You can eat the leaves, stalk, flowers, seeds, and taproot of the plant, but because Evening Primrose is a biennial, different parts of the plant are tastier in different years of the plant’s life.
How to care for evening primrose?
Your best option is to make a point of cleaning up after the evening primrose by removing any fallen seeds from the fertile soil on a regular basis, if you have no interest in letting this type of plant become your entire garden. It is also necessary to prune the buds once the flowers are finished blooming for the year.
Can evening primrose grow in the UK?
All you need to know about growing the evening primrose wildflower, in our Grow Guide. Evening primrose relates to several plants in the Oenothera genus. There are many varieties worldwide but the most common in the UK is Oenothera biennis, a biennial plant native to North America, which has naturalised here in the UK.
What is evening primrose used for?
The plant was also sometimes used internally to treat bowel and menstrual pain. In the 17th century, Evening Primrose was introduced to European botanical gardens as an ornamental. Evening Primrose oil became a popular folk remedy earning the plant one of its common names, King’s Cure-All.