Primula
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PRIM-yew-luh
- Description
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Primroses are showy perennial herbs that are low and mounded, grow up to 3' and come in a variety of colors. This genus has wide variability among is species and can be found anywhere from mountain slopes to bogs or meadows. This plant blooms in early to late spring, but is dependent on the species. Primula, from Latin primus, meaning first, genus contains over 450 species with over 250 in cultivation. It is used as a potted plant, in rock gardens, in borders, and as specimen plants. Flowers are either 'pin-eyes', with long styles and short anthers or 'thrum-eyes', with long anthers and short styles. This plant is intolerant of full sun, dry weather, and extreme cold. This plant prefers cool, shaded, moist soil with abundant organic matter. Divide clumps after flowering. This plant has pest and disease problems. P. vulgaris (Common Primrose) has obovate leaves, a short winged petiole and fragrant, yellow flowers with orange eyes.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves are in basal rosette, are oblong-spatulate
- Flowers are salverform with 5 emarginate lobes
- Flower scapes are erect, leafless, with 1 or more flowers
- Leaf petioles are short, often winged
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Dale Henderson'
- 'Dale Henderson'
- 'Dale Henderson'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Dale Henderson'
- 'Dale Henderson'
- 'Dale Henderson'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Primula
- Family:
- Primulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Temperate and Subtropical Regions
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are capsules.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are red, pink, purple, blue, white, or yellow in color. They usually have a different colored center, can be scented or unscented, can be erect to nodding, and are less than an inch in diameter. The corolla is salverform and 5-lobed. Lobes are spreading and emarginate. Inflorescence is a solitary or multi-flowered umbel, raceme, or whorl. Peduncle is erect, leafless, and unbranched.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Waxy
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Spatulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are in a basal rossette, are simple, ovate to obovate to spatulate, sometimes have a waxy farine ('bloom'), and are pale to dark green in color. Petioles are short and often winged.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Houseplants
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Specimen
