About the Evening Primrose

Growing Conditions

• 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.

Ornamental Properties

• 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.

Nutritional Properties

• According to Alternative Nature Online Healing Resource, the entire evening primrose plant is edible. 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.

Medicinal Properties

• In addition to the nutritional qualities associated with evening primrose, the plant contains a number of medicinal properties. GLA, the rare fatty acid found in evening primrose, specifically in the seeds, has been shown to reduce cholesterol, protect the arteries against hardening as well as strengthen the heart and prevent cardiovascular disease. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, evening primrose is also used to treat eczema, conditions involving inflammation such as arthritis and women's health issues such as PMS, breast pain and menopause.

Dosing

• The Mayo Clinic recommends giving adults 18 years of age or older four to eight grams of evening primrose oil orally each day for skin conditions. For other conditions take three grams daily. Children may take three grams daily. However, doses should be divided into individual treatments no more than .5 gram each dose.