Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge (28825458841)

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: Common evening primrose has a number of other common names, including weedy evening-primrose, German rampion, hog weed, King’s cure-all, and fever-plant. The Cherokee, Iroquois, Ojibwas, and Potawatomi were among several Native American tribes that used common evening-primrose for both food and for medicinal purposes. The roots were boiled and eaten like potatoes. The young leaves were cooked and served as greens. The shoots were eaten raw. A tea was made from the plant and used as a dietary aid or stimulant to treat laziness and “overfatness.” A hot poultice made from the pounded roots was applied externally to treat piles and boils. A poultice made from the entire plant was used to treat bruises. The roots were chewed and rubbed onto the muscles to improve strength. Common evening-primrose is commercially cultivated in over 15 countries for its oil which contains the essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and gamma linolenic acid. plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_oebi.pdf On Seedskadee NWR, it is a native bienniel that colonizes disturbed soils and provides competition to invasive species. Hummingbirds, moths, and a variety of other insects feed on the pollen and nectar and birds will eat the seeds that fall to the ground. Photo: Tom Koerner/USFWS. Date: 2 July 2015, 08:37. Source: Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Author: USFWS Mountain-Prairie.