Common Evening Primrose
(Oenothera villosa)

Common evening primrose is also called wild evening primrose and field evening primrose.  It is found on prairie hillsides and on stream and lake edges; it will flourish in dry or damp soils.  The flowers open in the evening and wither the following day; not all the flowers bloom at once.

This North American native was introduced in Europe in the early 1600's; its fleshy taproot was used as a vegetable.

The Navajo mixed dried leaves with tobacco and smoked it to bring good luck during hunts.