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What's blooming in Bath, Highland
BY CHARLES GARRATT STAFF WRITER
 | | Early evening along Route 39 near Warm Springs and these evening primrose flowers are just starting to live up to their name as they open to the setting sun. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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WARM SPRINGS - During the day, the flowers of evening primrose are mostly closed, but as the sun begins to set, the beautiful yellow blooms open.
Evening primrose, Oenothera biennis, is a native of North America. In the early 1600s seeds were transported to Europe from Virginia. In parts of England evening primrose is naturalized and the plants can be found all over the world.
In this country, evening primrose is often thought of more as a garden flower than a wildflower. Cultivars are available with larger flowers and in a variety of colors for garden plantings. Seeds of the native variety are also available from stores for garden plantings.
All parts of the evening prim- rose are edible according to Alternative Nature Online Herbal and other herb sources. The flowers can be used as garnish or added to a salad.
The seeds contain gammalinoleinc acid, a valuable fatty acid the body does not produce. Evening primrose oil, made from the seeds, may be purchased and is being studied for medical uses.
Evening primrose is a primary colonizer, meaning the seeds will take hold and spread in newly bare ground. This explains why clumps of evening primrose are often found along roads after some construction but disappear over time as the plants are crowded out by other successional species.
Expect evening primrose to bloom from late June through
September. In the Highlands, the first flowers often do not appear until
mid-July or later.
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