Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Common Evening Primrose
Oenothera biennis [C-value
0]
Evening Primrose family (Onagraceae)
Blooms mid-June -
October
The native Common Evening Primrose is common in our area. It prefers full sun, average moisture, and a soil that is somewhat sandy. Habitats include black soil prairies, thickets, glades, abandoned fields, roadsides and railroads. This biennial can be 7' tall with alternate leaves and sometimes multiple stems giving it a bushy shrub appearance. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 8" long and 2" wide. A panicle of pale yellow flowers occurs at the apex of the plant. Each 4-petal flower is about 1" across when fully open, from evening to early morning. Long narrow seedpods develop, which split open from the top to release many tiny, irregular brown seeds.
Common Evening Primrose at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve August 12, 2015
Common Evening Primrose (and marvelous spider) at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve August 12, 2015
Common Evening Primrose at Oswego-Montgomery Library August 15, 2013
Common Evening Primrose foliage at Oswego-Montgomery Library August 15, 2013
Common Evening Primrose at Baker Woods Forest Preserve August 14, 2012
Common Evening Primrose at Jay Woods Forest Preserve November 3, 2014 (seeds released from seed head)
The young roots of Common Evening Primrose have a peppery flavor like parsnips and were boiled like potatoes. The leaves were cooked as greens or used in soups and sauces. Native Americans used the whole plant in decoctions to treat asthma, cough, disorders, and as a pain-killer. Reminder: see our Do Not Disturb Notice.
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