“Oenothera Caespitosa (Evening Primrose)”
This is a perennial plant with a starchy taproot & is common in arid prairies and deserts. This is one of my floral paintings that portray this beautiful flower and how it is typically found in the desert landscape. The plant has simple, oblong, basal leaves that are coarsely serrated. The flowers are solitary or few in number, with 4 separate sepals, 4 separate petals, and 8 stamens. The pistil has a deeply divided 4-parted stigma. The ovary matures as a capsule with many seeds.
General characteristics of Oenothera are that they can be annual, biennial, or perennial. Blossoms are white, pink, yellow, have four petals, four sepals, eight stamen and a four-celled seed pod forms against stem. The blossoms tend to be from two to four inches in diameter, and the plants can be from six inches to five feet tall. They range in altitude from sea level to 9,000 feet, but are most common from 1,000 to 7,000 feet. Cold hardiness varies but is usually to about 10°F.
Evening primrose has been used historically for medicinal purposes, and recent clinical studies indicate that the oil of evening primrose is high in Gamma-linolenic Acid (GLA) and is useful in regulating fatty acids, reducing hot flashes and PMS, and improving eczema and psoriasis (when used topically). Other studies concerning use in some types of heart disease look promising, but it’s too early to know for sure.
