Oenothera biennis

Oenothera biennis

Common Evening-Primrose

The common evening-primrose is a biennial plant that grows up to 1.6 meters tall. It has lanceolate leaves that are 8–18 cm long and 2–6 cm wide. The plant produces yellow flowers that are 2.5–5 cm in diameter, which open in the evening and close by noon the next day. The flowers are hermaphrodite and have a bright nectar guide pattern visible under ultraviolet light. The fruit is a capsule containing numerous small seeds.

Details

Order:

Myrtales

Family:

Onagraceae

Genus:

Oenothera

Chemistry:

The seeds of the common evening-primrose contain about 24% oil, including gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and linoleic acid. The proteins in the seeds are rich in sulfur-containing amino acids such as methionine and cysteine, as well as tryptophan. The plant also contains cellulose.

Uses:

The entire plant is edible and has been used by Indigenous people in North America for food and traditional medicine. The roots can be eaten raw or cooked like potatoes, the leaves can be used in salads or cooked like spinach, and the flowering stems and flower buds are also edible. The plant is a larval host for the primrose moth and the white-lined sphinx moth, and its seeds are important food for birds such as the American goldfinch and mourning dove.

Flowering time:

Late spring to late summer

Sowing time:

Spring (first half of April) or autumn (mid-July to mid-August)

Plant height:

1.6 meters

Flower color:

Yellow

Suitable habitat:

Sunny, arid places with loamy soil below 700 meters above sea level

Info

Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.

Tenders

Expert guidance for current/future CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) subsidy applications