Oenothera glazioviana
| Oenothera glazioviana | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Life Cycle: | Biennial |
| Height: | 5' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Mid Fall |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Oenothera glazioviana (common name: large-flower evening primrose)
Propagation: Seed - sow in situ from late spring to early summer.
Cultivation: Prefers a dryish well-drained sandy loam and full sun[1][2]. Heavy clay soils may induce winter rots[2]. Succeeds on poor soils[2].
The flowers open in the evening, they are richly scented and are very attractive to moths[3]. The seeds are a good food source for birds, especially finches[2].
The plants of this species are of hybrid origin and usually mutate freely[1].
Usually self-sows freely if in a suitable position[K].
Range: A hybrid of garden origin, probably O. grandiflora x O. elata.
Habitat: Not known in the wild[2].
Edibility: Root - cooked. Boiled and eaten like salsify[4]. Fleshy and succulent.
Young shoots - raw or cooked[4]. Mild and inoffensive[4]
Seed contains 28% of a drying oil[5]. It is edible and a very good source of gammalinolenic acid[6], an essential fatty acid that is not found in many plant sources and has numerous vital functions in the body. Difficult to harvest, it has to be done by hand[7].
Medicinal: The oil in the seeds is anticholesterolemic, astringent, hypotensive, sedative[3][8]. Reduces cholesterol levels[9]. Research suggests that the oil is potentially very valuable in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, pre-menstrual tension, hyperactivity etc[9].
Pollinators: Lepidoptera, bees, self
Habit: Biennial
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: O. erythrosepala. Borbas. O. lamarkiana. DeVries. non Ser.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ Chakravarty, Hiralal. The Plant Wealth of Iraq. 1976.
- ↑ Carruthers, S. Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading, 1986.
- ↑ Natural Food Institute. Wonder Crops 1987.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Freethy, Ron. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press, 1985.