In the latest installment of our Herbs in Games series, we’re traveling back to 1774, deep into the Davenport Homestead of Assassin’s Creed 3. If you’ve played through the Homestead missions, you likely remember the quest "Prudence’s Primrose."
The scene is perfectly set: as the sun begins to set over the frontier, our protagonist, Connor, finds Prudence, desperate and vulnerable, wandering deep into the wilderness at dusk.
There is a scientific reason for this timing. The Evening Primrose is famous for its "theatrical" nature; its bright yellow buds stay tightly closed all day, only "popping" open as the light fades to attract nocturnal pollinators. To harvest the flowers at their peak potency and fragrance, you have to be out in the twilight - the exact time when the frontier's predators, like the bear Connor saves her from, are most active.
Prudence’s desperation makes even more sense when you understand how difficult this plant is to harvest. You can’t simply plant a seed and get oil a few months later. Evening Primrose is a biennial, meaning it requires a two-year commitment:
Year One: The plant grows low to the ground, focusing all its energy on a deep taproot. It produces no flowers and no seeds.
Year Two: Finally, the plant "bolts," sending up a tall stalk that produces the magical blooms and the seed pods containing the precious oil.
For a woman like Prudence, who was struggling to conceive, finding a second-year patch of primrose was like finding gold. She couldn't just wait another year; she needed the "King’s Cure-All" right then, and she was willing to risk the shadows of dusk to get it. To her, the danger of the bear was secondary to the hope of starting a family.
The "King’s Cure-All": From Native Wisdom to Colonial Treasure
Prudence’s belief in the plant wasn't misplaced. Evening Primrose is native to North America, and its medicinal secrets were first unlocked by Indigenous peoples centuries before settlers arrived.
Tribes such as the Cherokee and Iroquois used the plant for strength and skin healing, but they also recognized its profound effect on internal balance. When European settlers witnessed these "miracles," they sent the plant back across the Atlantic. It quickly earned the nickname "The King’s Cure-All" because it seemed to address everything from hormonal struggles to chronic inflammation. Prudence was tapping into an ancient lineage of healing that bridged the gap between Native wisdom and the needs of a new frontier.
The Science: Why Prudence Was Right
Modern science has finally caught up to Prudence’s intuition. We now know that the "magic" in Evening Primrose seeds is Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), a rare and powerful Omega-6 fatty acid.
GLA is essential for maintaining hormonal balance and supporting the body’s reproductive system. It’s exactly why the herb has been used for centuries to aid fertility and ease the symptoms of PMS and menopause. When Prudence braved those woods, she was searching for the very compound that modern herbalists still recommend today for women's wellness.
At Nature’s Common Scents, we believe that the wisdom of the past shouldn't be lost to time - but we also believe you shouldn't have to fight a giant bear to access it!
We’ve taken that same "King’s Cure-All" and made it the star of our Special Moments product. We’ve done the hard work of sourcing and refining this potent botanical so you can enjoy the benefits of pure Evening Primrose without the frontier risks.
Whether you’re looking for the hormonal support that Prudence sought or you want the incredible skin-soothing properties that made this plant a legend, Special Moments brings the best of the primrose directly to you.
A Legacy of Wellness
From the Davenport Homestead to your own home, the story of Evening Primrose is one of resilience and natural power. Prudence’s story reminds us that some of the greatest treasures are found in nature -and sometimes, they are worth a little bit of a struggle.
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