Our evening primrose oil is cold pressed and of outstanding quality! Evening primrose is a wildflower that grows throughout the U.S., and has served as food and medicine throughout history, often for upset stomach and respiratory infections. The oil is found in the plant's seeds and is high in the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Native Americans ate the boiled, nutty-flavored root, and used leaf poultices from the plant for bruises and hemorrhoids. European settlers took the root back to England and Germany, where it was introduced as food and became known as German rampion because it grew as a crawling vine. The plant was also a Shaker medicine, sold commercially



Shelf Life: 2 years from date of shipping when kept in original unopened container and stored at or below 35C. Storage: Store in cool, dry place at or below 35C. Protect from direct sunlight.

A circle of leaves grows close to the ground around evening primrose stems after the first year it is planted. Flowers bloom after sunset, June through September, or on overcast days during the second year. The leaves grow on both sides of the stem at alternating levels. This monograph focuses on the seed from which the oil is extracted.



Oil is extracted from the seeds and prepared as medicine using a chemical called hexane. The seeds contain up to 25% essential fatty acids including linoleic acid (LA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Both LA and GLA belong to the omega-6 family of fatty acids. The vast majority of North Americans get too much omega-6 fatty acid in their diet. However, there are different types of omega-6 fatty acids. Some are health promoting, such as those found in evening primrose oil (EPO), while others can be more harmful, such as those typically found in the standard American diet. The body needs a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to function normally. Omega-3 oils can be found in cold water fish such as salmon, as well as some plant sources, or in dietary supplements. Other sources of GLA include spirulina (a blue-green algae), borage, hemp, and black currant oils.