Evening Primrose is known by a host of names such as ‘Fever plant, ‘Great Evening-Primrose’, ‘Common Evening Primrose’, ‘Scabish’, ‘Scurvish’, ‘Tree primrose’, ‘King's-cure-all’ and ‘Night willow-herb’

The flower is so named as it blooms in the evening and the petals remain closed during the day. The flowers appear all along the stalk of the plant, each flower containing four petals which are of a dazzling yellow colour. The stigma of the flower is shaped like a cross and the calyx is curled outward. Evening primrose, which blossoms from June to September has a sweet, strong and intoxicating fragrance which attracts several insects that helps in the pollination of the flower.

This biennial plant which grows throughout the world, can grow very tall, sometimes even to a height of about 4 or 5 feet. It bears long, hairy alternate leaves with a smell of lemon. The fruit is elongated in shape with numerous reddish seeds. The plant can be cultivated without much toil. It thrives well in neutral, acid and alkaline soils which must be well-drained and it grows well in bright sunlight.

All parts of the Evening Primrose plant can be consumed. It can be dried and used as a herb. Oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant which is found to be effective in curing diseases like hardening of the eczema, cirrhosis, arteries, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, PMS, multiple sclerosis, menopause as well as high blood pressure.