Common name: Primrose
Family: Primulaceae, Primrose
Height x width: 2-24" x 8-30"
Growth rate: moderate
Foliage: usually basal
Flowers: most colors, umbels, spikes, globes or solitary in spring
Hardiness: zones 3-5 to 7-9
Soil: moist, well-drained to wet depending on species
Light: part shade to shade
Pests and problems: slugs, spider mites
Landscape habit, uses: moist woodland, fronts of borders, massing, containers
Other interest: divided botanically into thirty sections, four sections important horticulturally: Auricula (P. auricula and other low-growing species, suited for cool climates or greenhouses), Candelabra (many species having whorls of flowers on long stems), Denticulata (P. denticulata), and Vernales (most popular hybrids and English primroses); Primrose society exists
Other culture: cool summers prefered, many can grow in sun in the north with amble moisture
Propagation: seed, division of plantlets, 1-2" long stem cuttings depending on species
Species:
auricula(are-i-kew' lah)--Auricula Primrose, zones 3-7, 2-8" x 8", yellow for species and usually fragrant, 2-3" long and wide leaves either with a white powdery coating (farina) or without, shallow-rooted so susceptible to winter freezing and thawing, need moderate moisture
beesiana(bee-see-aa' nah)--fragrant rose flowers with yellow centers, named for Bee's Nursery in Chester, UK
x bulleesiana(bull-ee-see-aa' nah)--cross of bulleyana and beesiana, flowers in shades of violet, wine, yellow
bulleyana(bull-ee-aa' nah)--deep reddish orange flowers with other color cultivars, named for founder of Bees Nursery A.K. Bulley
chionantha(kii-o-nan' thah)--zones 5-8, 12-24" tall, white flowers in 1-4 umbels, 6-8" leaves with yellow farina beneath, Nivales section, prefer moist soil
chungensis(chun-gin' siss)--fragrant red tubular flowers with orange petals, in whorls
denticulata(den-ti-kew-laa' tah)--Drumstick Primrose, zones 4-7, 8-10" x 12", early lilac to white and globular on top of thin stems, 4-6" leaves expanding to a foot and shaped like a spatula (spatulate), need moderate moisture
elatior(ee-laa' tee-or)--zones 5-8, 8-15" umbels in various colors
farinosa(fair-i-no' sah)--zones 5-8, yellow-throated pink flowers 4-8" tall
flaccida(flas-ci-dah')--zones 5-8, 18" tall, spice-scented lavender flowers in dense heads on farinose stems, leaves narrow elliptic and softly hairy, easy to grow in moist site
florindae(floor-in-dii')--Florinda Primrose, zones 6-8, 2-3' x 2', about 40 yellow, farinose and fragrant flowers in late spring on top of strong stems, broad and glossy leaves, requires damp site, named after discoverer Frank Kingdom-Ward's wife
frondosa(fron-do' sah)--zones 5-8, 6" tall, leaves densely farinose below, rose-lilac to red-purple flowers with yellow eyes in late spring
helodoxa(hell-ah-dox' ah)--24" tall, large golden yellow flowers with notched petals in six, 12-20 flowered whorls
japonica(ja-pon' eh-ka)--Japanese Primrose, zones 5-7, 12-24" x 24", 2-6 whorls of 8-12 purple flowers (species) on stems, 6-12" leaves 2-4" wide, requires damp site with moving water, plants cross readily
juliae(jul-ee' ii)--zones 5-8, 2" tall, rose flowers, good for alpine troughs
juliana(jul-ee-a' nah)--zones 4-8, 4-6" tall, various colors, often listed as x pruhonicensis hybrids
kisoana(kiss-o-aa' nah)--4-6" tall, pink or seldom white flowers, tolerant of dry and heat
latifolia(lat-eh-fol' ee-ah)--Sticky Primrose, rose-red in 10-25 flowered umbels, sticky foliage, may be listed as viscosa, requires alkaline soils
x polyantha(poly-an' thah)--Polyantha Primrose, zones 3-8, 8-12" x 9", many colors and hybrids some solid and some with center eye colors in umbels on 4-6" stems, small dark green leaves, prefer moist soil
x pubescens(pue-bess' ins)--auricula and rubra cross, perhaps oldest species cultivated, rose-purple flowers with white eye
pulverulenta(pul-ver-uu-len' tah)--deep red flowers with darker center in whorls, flower stem mealy, parent of many candelabra types
saxatilis(sax-a-till' iss)--zones 4-8, 12" various color flowers over long period
sieboldii(sii-bol' dee-ii)--Siebold Primrose, zones 4-8, 4-8" x 8", purple with white eye to white or rose flowers in late spring above foliage in 6-10 flowered umbels, prefer moist soils
sikkimensis(sick-i-men' siss)--zones 5-8, slightly fragrant pale yellow nodding bell flowers, later spring, prefers damp site
veris(ver-iss')--Cowslip Primrose, 8" tall, light yellow flowers in umbels in early spring, prefers moist site
vialii(vee-al' ee-ii)--Vial's Primrose, zones 5-7, 12-15" x 12", red and bright violet flowers clustered atop leafless stems, require moist and alkaline soil
vulgaris(vul-gar' iss)--English Primrose, zones 5-8, 6-9" x 9",
yellow flowers (species) often with darker center borne singly, tufted
and wrinkled leaves downey beneath, easy to grow tolerating dry soil, parent
of many hybrids
Cultivars:
| Cultivars, other taxa | species | flowers | other |
| 'Akatonbo' | sieboldii | dark rose, lacy | |
| var. alba | denticulata | white | popular |
| 'Alba' | japonica | white | |
| 'Auslese Mischung' | vulgaris | mix | ('Michung's Selection') |
| Barnhaven Hybrids | auricula | vibrant mix | subsp. bauhinii |
| Bartley Hybrids | pulverulenta | soft pink | best cultivar of species |
| 'Bewerley White' | x pubescens | creamy white | 6-8" tall flower stems |
| 'Blaue Auslese' | vulgaris | bluish | 5" tall, 'Blue Selection' |
| 'Carmina' | japonica | rose-red | long bloom |
| 'Cashmeriana' | denticulata | purple, large | yellow under leaves |
| 'Cashmeriana Rubin' | denticulata | carmine-red | |
| 'City of Bellingham' | juliana | pink | 6" tall |
| 'Crispii' | juliana | pink | 4" tall |
| 'Dales Red' | auricula | brick red, yellow center | popular |
| 'Danova' | x polyantha | mix | good in the South |
| 'Dorothy' | juliana | pale yellow | 6" tall |
| 'Finesse' | vulgaris | mix | 4-6" mound |
| 'Friday' | juliana | bright reddish purple | 4" tall |
| 'Garryarde Guinevere':'Guinevere x polyantha | |||
| 'Giant Bouquet' | x polyantha | like 'Monarch', larger flowers | |
| 'Gigantea' | x pubescens | bi-colors, often fragrant | 6-8", gray-green leaves |
| 'Gigas' | rosea | crimson, yellow eye | 8" clusters large flowers |
| 'Gold of Ophir' | auricula | bright yellow | |
| 'Groenekan's Glorie' | juliana | lilac | 6" tall |
| 'Guinevere' | x polyantha | shell pink | purplish foliage |
| 'Inverewe' | pulverulenta | bright red | from division only |
| 'Isotaka' | sieboldii | white, dark pink under | 8-10 flowered umbels |
| Jack-in-the-Green Group | x polyantha | pale yellow, green sepals | old cultivar |
| 'Jay-Jay' | juliana | bright reddish purple | 4" tall |
| 'Jim Saunders' | japonica | rich cherry red | |
| 'Karryann' | denticulata | light mauve | creamy leaf margins |
| Keilour Hybrids | florindae | yellow shades | |
| 'Kinlough Beauty' | juliana | pink, light stripe | 5" tall |
| 'Lady Greer' | x polyantha | delicate pale yellow | |
| 'Linda Pope' | marginata | mauve blue, white eye | heavily farinose |
| 'Lizzie Green' | juliana | deep pink | 4" tall |
| 'Miller's Crimson' | japonica | bright red | true from seed |
| 'Monarch' | x polyantha | mix or single colors | |
| 'Mrs. J.H. Wilson' | x pubescens | rose-purple, white eyes | |
| 'Pacific Giants' | x polyantha | mix, large | from seeds |
| 'Postford White' | japonica | white, large, yellow eye | one of best cultivars |
| 'Purple Seedling' | juliana | ||
| var. purpurea | sieboldii | purple-red | |
| 'Purpurkissen'(Purple Cushion) juliana | violet-purple | 4" tall | |
| 'Quaker's Bonnet' | vulgaris | deep rose, double | |
| 'Ravenglass Vermilion':'Inverewe' pulverulenta | |||
| 'Red Dusty Miller' | auricula | rose-red | farinaceous |
| 'Redfield Hybrids' | japonica | mix | |
| 'Ronsdorf' | denticulata | mix | from seeds |
| 'Rosea' | japonica | pink to rose | true from seed |
| 'Rowallane Hybrids' | japonica | mix | |
| 'Royal Velvet' | juliana | rich violet-purple | 4" tall |
| 'Rubens' | veris | bright red | 8" tall |
| 'Rubins' | denticulata | carmine-red | 6-12" tall |
| 'Rubra' | vulgaris | rose | |
| subsp. sibthorpii | vulgaris | pink to white, doubles | among earliest to bloom |
| 'Snowflake' | sieboldii | white, large | |
| 'Snow White' | juliana | white | 4" tall |
| 'Sumina' | sieboldii | wisteria blue, large | |
| 'Mikado' | auricula | dark red | vigorous |
| 'Violet' | denticulata | purple | |
| 'Wanda' | x polyantha | dark purple-red | |
| 'Yellow Dusty Miller' | auricula | yellow | farinaceous |
©Authored by Dr. Leonard Perry, Professor, University of Vermont as part of PSS123 course.
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