Evening primrose, also known as night willow herb and king’s cure-all, is a wild edible plant whose flowers open at night and each flower lasts for one night. Nicholas Culpeper said of the primrose family “as fine a salve to heal wounds as any that I know”. The plant was used as food by the Europeans and Native Americans ate the plant and made poultices with the leaves to treat bruises, wounds, tumors and haemorrhoids. Every part of the Evening Primrose plant can be used. The leaves can be steamed, roots boiled, flowers sprinkled on salads and seeds roasted.
The plant is native to North America and was carried to Europe on ships. During the 17th century the herb was called the king’s cure-all due to the wide variety of ailments the plant was used to treat. Evening primrose grows best in poor, sandy or dry soil that will produce plants with higher GLA (gammalinolenic acid) content than plants grown in rich soil. Oil is extracted from ripe seeds and to take internally and the fresh plant may be used in herbal remedies.
Evening Primrose oil is an essential fatty acid that plays a vital role in health. GLA in Evening Primrose oil is a
nutrient required for prostaglandins, cell membranes and brain development. The herb is used for eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue, nerve degeneration, autoimmune disorders, inflammation, asthma, respiratory infections , migraines and stimulating the liver, spleen and digestive systems. Evening primrose can also be used in treating conditions of deficiencies or imbalances of essential fatty acids for hormone production and regulation making the oil helpful for the treatment of PMS.
The multitude of uses for the plant and oil derived from the seeds makes Evening Primrose an important part of the herbal medicine cabinet and herb garden.
The plant is native to North America and was carried to Europe on ships. During the 17th century the herb was called the king’s cure-all due to the wide variety of ailments the plant was used to treat. Evening primrose grows best in poor, sandy or dry soil that will produce plants with higher GLA (gammalinolenic acid) content than plants grown in rich soil. Oil is extracted from ripe seeds and to take internally and the fresh plant may be used in herbal remedies.
Evening Primrose oil is an essential fatty acid that plays a vital role in health. GLA in Evening Primrose oil is a
nutrient required for prostaglandins, cell membranes and brain development. The herb is used for eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue, nerve degeneration, autoimmune disorders, inflammation, asthma, respiratory infections , migraines and stimulating the liver, spleen and digestive systems. Evening primrose can also be used in treating conditions of deficiencies or imbalances of essential fatty acids for hormone production and regulation making the oil helpful for the treatment of PMS.
The multitude of uses for the plant and oil derived from the seeds makes Evening Primrose an important part of the herbal medicine cabinet and herb garden.