SafePlants

Evening Primrose

Evening Primrose refers to a variety of plants. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops.

Small evening primrose is a common name that may refer to:

• Camissoniopsis micrantha
• Eremothera minor (synonym)

Other species mentioned include:

• Large-flowered evening-primrose (O. glazioviana)
• Common evening-primrose (O. biennis)
• Small-flowered evening-primrose (O. cambrica)
• Camissonia andina (Obscure Evening-primrose)
• Oenothera indecora

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• One referenced plant is in the Evening Primrose family, Camissoniopsis micrantha.

Considerations for Children

• This product is suitable for adults and children.
• The fruit is a dry pod that contains many small seeds.

Considerations for Pets

• One product mentioned is an ideal formulation for cats and small dogs to reduce scurfiness.

Distribution and Habitat

• Evening primrose is found in North America.
• One species, Oenothera cambrica, was sighted in Braunton, Devon, Sefton Coast, Lancs, and Crosby, Merseyside.
• Historically the only known locations of the San Benito evening-primrose are limited to a single small yellow flower.

Morphological Characteristics

• The species vary in size from small alpine plants 10 centimeters tall, such as O. acaulis.
• Small-flowered evening-primrose can grow to five feet (150 cm) in height.
• Obscure Evening-primrose (Camissonia andina) is a small annual herb with stems, 3-15 cm high.
• Evening Primrose is an erect herb with a basal rosette of long, narrow leaves.
• The plant has short blunt hairs mixed with long hairs that don't have a bulbous base.
• Evening Primrose has yellow flowers.
• The fruit is a dry pod that contains many small seeds.

Ecological Role

• Narrowleaf evening primrose is a host plant for the pearly wood nymph (Eudryas unio).

Quirky Facts

• Evening primrose is famous for blooming at night, but this isn't necessarily the case.
• The healing properties of the evening primrose plant are still recognized today, however, research has revealed that it is the oil from its small, reddish seed that is responsible for evening primrose's most well-known uses.

Traditional Uses

• Many parts of the plant have been traditionally used, but it is the oil from its small, reddish seeds that is most widely known.
• Evening primrose oil is a popular traditional herb used as a natural remedy.

Additional Information

• The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) provides help &amp information on Oenothera cambrica, the small-flowered evening primrose.
• WebMD explains the uses and risks of the supplement evening primrose oil.