Stemless primrose, or common primrose (Primula acaulis, syn. P vulgaris), in nature is a small herbaceous plant, which gives its name to the family. The leaves are simple, the flowers are solitary, most often white or yellow, less often pink, lilac or purple with an eye.
One of the first to bloom in early spring. Often on a plant in bloom you cannot even see the leaves - they are covered with numerous flowers. The stemless primrose and its hybrids are easy to distinguish from other primroses - the flowers are always solitary, not collected in an inflorescence, each on its own stem.
These unpretentious plants are not uncommon in gardens. The best way to get primroses is to ask your neighbors and friends for clones that have been growing well for a long time.
You can buy flowering specimens - then both the species and the variety will not be in doubt.
In winter, primrose rhizomes are sometimes sold. They can be bought and stored for a short time in sphagnum moss in the zero chamber of the refrigerator.
If they grow prematurely, they need to be planted in pots and kept on a cool loggia. In the room with high temperature and low air humidity, planted primroses are likely to die.
Sometimes you can see seeds of terry primroses on sale (for example, the Rosanna variety series).
However, if you look closely at the picture, and then at the living flower, it turns out that there are still five petals, they just have a wavy edge and they are not fully open, which is why the middle is not visible and the flower seems double.
Truly double (multi-petaled, without stamens and pistil) flowers are sterile. Terry varieties can only be propagated vegetatively. Stemless primroses also have these.
New varieties appear every year, and it is often difficult to understand what is sustainable and what is not. In general, resistant primrose clones:
- are as close as possible to the natural appearance in color and size of flowers;
- pastel colors, not blue;
- without large bracts (“collar” of leaves immediately under the flower).
Planting and caring for common primrose (stemless)
Resistant varieties of stemless primrose are long-lasting plants when grown, flexible and tolerant of the vicissitudes of garden life.
Best time for planting primroses - as soon as the snow melts, but if there is watering, they can be divided and transplanted at any time convenient for you. Primulas take root at low temperatures (planted in late summer - autumn, they often protrude after wintering).
Ideally, such primroses need partial shade with rich loamy soil, good nutrition (for abundant flowering), absence of both soaking and drying out. But they will tolerate full sun (provided guaranteed watering).
Primroses require almost no care.
It is useful to clean them of dead leaves after the snow melts, water them in the heat, and fertilize them. complex fertilizer mulch according to the season. Poor wintering, as a rule, is typical for unstable varieties and when planted in a damp place.
The blue and large-flowered ones drop out first. Species plants are very stable and have withstood any snowless winters. It makes no sense to cover primroses: they get wet more often than they freeze out, and this will happen much faster under cover.
Using Primrose
Primroses make dense borders and colorful rugs. The array can be located either near the track or at some distance from it. For one group it is worth using primroses of the same color. This is easy to do if you divide one overgrown clump.
Numerous varieties of primroses, when planted side by side, look like a cacophony of colors, much more harmonious than a monoplant or a combination of just two varieties.
Primulas can be easily combined with tall perennials that will protect them from the scorching sun in summer -, or even. Even more suitable companions when planting primroses in partial shade. There are only two restrictions here: neighbors should not cover the primroses tightly with their leaves and should not be too aggressive.
So, I had to give up the proximity of primroses with kupena and disporum smilacina: these aggressors grew very quickly and “pierced” the primrose bushes with their powerful shoots.
But ferns, even large ones, simply planted at the proper distance, hellebores - almost the entire shady assortment - are quite compatible with primroses. Very good in joint plantings are small-bulbous ones, blooming simultaneously with primroses.
Reproduction of common (stemless) primrose
Stemless primroses are propagated by seeds and vegetatively.
Under favorable conditions, self-seeding occurs in the garden. But the easiest way is to divide them. Many grow well and even require periodic division.
The plant needs to be dug up and divided with a knife into individual rosettes or groups of rosettes with roots, planting them in a new place. The best time for this is the earliest spring after the snow melts, but you can divide the primroses
And in bloom, and before the onset of the summer heat. Autumn division is possible, but undesirable: if a snowless winter occurs, poorly rooted plants may die.
Sometimes the rosettes are separated without digging up the entire bush.
Even perennial bushes can gradually grow overgrown, exposed in the middle and rot due to excessive density. They should be maintained by regular (every 3-4 years) division with replanting to a new location or replacing the soil.
Possible problems
One of the problems with varietal primroses is their fragility. Honestly, I just accepted the fact that the large-flowered and brightest primroses live in the garden for 1-2 seasons at most.
They just need a different use than stable clones. It is better not to place high hopes on attractive, but such unstable potted hybrids and consider their stay in the garden to be short-lived. They bloom all summer like annuals, and it is precisely as annuals that they are best used. They will perfectly replace faded and retired small bulbous ones, and decorate the steps or courtyard when planted in a beautiful flowerpot.
Varieties of common primrose (stemless) photo: 1. Butter Yellow. 2. Danova Bicolor. 3. Quacker Bonnet.
Primrose from seeds - cultivation and care
Primroses are very easy to grow from seeds. If you want to create a delicate pink and cream carpet under old apple trees, collect the seeds of your primroses - they sprout very quickly and won’t cost you a penny.
Plants from seeds collected in your garden do not retain varietal characteristics, but this is how you can get new colors.
Before sowing, primrose seed pods are stored at a temperature no higher than +5...+7 °C. Before sowing, seeds collected in the garden are treated to protect the seedlings from fungi (there is no need to treat purchased seeds - just steam the soil).
Fresh seeds usually germinate after a short cooling - they are slow to germinate in primroses. There is no need to be afraid of this procedure: the mechanism is inherent in nature, where they lie under the snow all winter and germinate in early spring.
The container with the crops should be kept in the refrigerator or under the snow for 2-4 weeks. Then the crops that have undergone stratification can be placed on a bright window, shaded from direct sunlight.
The optimal temperature for the development of seedlings of planted primrose is +16…+18 °C. When two true leaves appear, primrose seedlings dive. In the future, they need to be watered and fed.
After the threat of frost has passed, the container with seedlings is buried until the end of summer in a semi-shaded place in the garden, and then planted in a permanent place at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other.
Growing primroses from seeds (photo)
In order to room conditions To grow primrose from seeds, you need to do the following sequentially:
1. Carefully shake out the seeds from the dried inflorescences over a saucer.
2. Place the seeds for 20 minutes in a 0.5-1.0% solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Scatter the seeds on the snow - when it melts, they will appear evenly and without embedding on the soil surface.
4. Snow needs to be compacted after sowing.
5. We mark the types and varieties of sown plants with signs.
6(a). After sowing, cover the container with a lid.
6(b). We bury the container in a snowdrift outside (for about 2-4 weeks).
7. We carefully pry up the seedlings in the phase of two true leaves with large nests, without damaging the roots, and place them on a saucer.
8. We separate the seedlings one by one, plant them in a box with a step of 5 cm or in individual pots. We water the picked seedlings with a thin stream.
9. It is better to plant plants in a permanent place in the second half of August, when cool and rainy weather.
Priula is the prima of the spring garden
This modest and unpretentious, but incredibly bright flower not only is it loved by gardeners, but also has a special history.
Legend has it that one day the Apostle Peter, dozing off, dropped the keys to Paradise. And once on the ground, they sprouted as cheerful primroses.
Primrose, or primrose, is a favorite of most gardeners, almost anywhere in the world. At one time, England was even overwhelmed by primulomania, a “disease” so similar to the Dutch “tulip mania.” Why is this little thing so good?
Perhaps the beauty’s main talent is the ability to be different: in nature there are from 400 to 550 species of the genus Primrose! But this is far from the limit, since botanists continually discover new ones, and breeders do not tire of creating hybrids and new varieties. As a result, today primrose is able to satisfy any whim: not only are its flowers amazing in all sorts of colors - even gray and green, two- and three-color, with or without a pattern.
Primroses also differ in the structure of their inflorescences. On this basis, they were divided into 5 groups: cushion-shaped (for example, primrose vulgaris), umbrella-shaped (such as high primrose or spring primrose), spherical (for example, fine-toothed primrose), candelabra (one of them is primrose bullesiana) and bell-shaped (primrose Florinda). By the way, not all of them bloom in the spring.
There are many species that decorate the garden in summer, for example, Bis, Florinda, and Bulley primroses. You can rest assured that even if you decorate your flower garden exclusively with primroses different types and varieties, it will be incomparable. But the bright “prima” is quite “communicative” - it goes well with other spring-flowering plants, as well as with low-growing plants. ornamental grasses and ferns.
The main condition for the prosperity of our many-sided heroine is an abundance of moisture in the soil in the spring, but without excess, let alone stagnation. The ideal place for the plant is partial shade with well-drained fertile soil.
If the primrose lives in a pot, make sure that the substrate does not dry out (only the common primrose more or less calmly puts up with drought in the summer). Feeding is done 3 times per season: in early spring, 2-3 weeks after the first and at the end of July - mid-August. For the winter, it is advisable to sprinkle primroses with dry leaves in a layer of about 10 cm, since even the hardiest ones can freeze in the absence of snow.
Primrose photos and types
- Primrose high it reproduces well by self-sowing and grows quickly - but only if the soil is fresh, moderately moist and rich in humus.
- Japanese primrose Miller's Crimson blooms in June–July. She prefers partial shade and moist soil. The purple-red flowers of this varietal plant attract attention with their unusual dark centers.
- U spring primrose (Primula veris) small bright yellow flowers. Their distinctive feature is orange spots at the base of the petals.
- They look organic in a bast basket white primrose and spring primrose. By the way, such an ensemble can be an excellent gift for a gardener friend.
Below are other entries on the topic “Do-it-yourself cottage and garden”
Primrose belongs to the genus of grass, the Primrose family. Most of these flowers are rhizomatous. This flower is one of the first to bloom, during the first warm days.
Primrose, when planted in the garden, becomes a decoration of the space with its beautiful and bright flowers with a pleasant aroma.
Primroses are grown as ground cover plants, in flower beds, ridges, mixborders, alpine slides, next to borders and for cutting, in outdoor containers, on balconies and in pots indoors.
Description of the flower
Perennial primrose grows into a low bush. These rhizomatous herbaceous plants bloom primarily in the spring, although some species may produce flowers in the summer months.
The plant is compact, rarely reaching 30 centimeters, but there are exceptions, reaching 50-90 centimeters in height.
The leaf rosette consists of petiolate, oblong, oval, lanceolate, sessile, simple, dissected leaves.
Some species have wrinkled leaves, others are leathery, gray-green, dense, with a slight waxy coating.
The wrinkled, whole leaves are slightly pubescent and radiate from the root, forming a rosette.
Stems without leaves. Depending on the variety, the buds can be single or collected in various inflorescences.
Flowers on long peduncles are single (simple) or collected in bell-shaped, spherical, pyramidal, umbellate, cushion-shaped, tiered inflorescences.
The flowers have a tubular shape with funnel-shaped or flat bends.
Flowers form at the end of the shoot. The shape of the flowers is correct. The petals are fused, five-membered at the edges. The colors of the flowers are bright and varied; there are two and three-color varieties.
After flowering, cylindrical or spherical shaped fruit boxes (polyseems) with dark brown small seeds are formed on the peduncles.
Flowers are propagated by seeds, cuttings, and division of the bush.
Types and varieties of primrose with photos
There are more than 500 species of primrose. Primrose grows in damp places - near mountain rivers, lakes, streams, and in meadows.
Under natural conditions, this flower is found in Europe, the Middle East, northern Africa, and Central Asia.
More than 300 species of flowers grow in the Himalayas, Asia, Western China, 33 species grow in Europe, 17 species in Africa, South America, 2 species in North America and 1 on the island of Java.
Any primrose is fragile, tender and a little cold.
Garden types of primrose are divided into cushion and umbellate. Varieties for capitate,
candelabra, tiered, bell.
Primula aurica or auricula (auriculastrum) includes 21 European look. The plant is low growing. The leaves are dense, dark green, about 20 centimeters long. There are small teeth along the edges of the foliage. Flowers and stems are covered with a whitish powdery coating. Flower colors are yellow, pink, lilac, purple. Some varieties have a white eye. Flowering extends from April to June.
Primula auricula
Primrose Julia– includes Primrose Prugonica. The plant grows up to 10 centimeters in height. The leaves are oval-shaped, the teeth are rounded along the edge. The petioles are long. The flowers are single, lilac-violet (up to 3 centimeters). The flower tube is long (2 centimeters).
There are deep grooves in the middle of the petals. Flowering lasts from early April to early May.
Varieties and hybrids of this primrose have a variety of colors.
Primula Juliae Primula juliae.
Powdery primrose includes more than 80 species. The flowers have a yellow or white coating. Flowers are collected in umbrella inflorescences. Moisture-loving plants require additional shelter for the winter.
Primula farinosa Mealy primrose
Primrose cortusiformes without powdery coating. The flowers are funnel-shaped. The leaves are petiolate, oval-oblong, pubescent. The peduncle is pubescent, 10-40 centimeters long. Flowers are collected in an umbrella. Flowering lasts from May to the end of June.
This group includes: Siebold's primrose, rejected, rocky primrose, polynervous and others.
Primula cortusoides
Primrose High has leaves from 5 to 20 centimeters in length. The underside is pubescent. The height of the peduncles is 10-30 centimeters. Long-tubular flowers of orange and yellow tones. The diameter of the flower is 2.5 centimeters.
Primrose pink includes early flowering species. The leaves are smooth with serrated edges. The flowers are bright pink with a small yellow eye. Moisture-loving flower.
Alpine auricula have a bright, rich color. The tube and the middle have the same color. Flowers with a white core have violet-blue petals. With a golden yellow center, the petals are reddish brown. Sometimes there is a light border. There is no powdery coating.
Auricula alpine light purple
Reverse conical view of primrose has a leafy edge. Hair causes allergies. The bush is neat and growing in breadth. The height of the bush is 50 centimeters. The buds are collected in umbrella inflorescences. Flowers can be purple, red, white, pink.
Recently, new varieties have appeared with minimal allergen content or its complete absence; such varieties can be grown in pots for further replanting in the ground.
Primula obconica
Medicinal type of primrose Evening opens its buds in the evening. After flowering, fruit-pods with seeds form on the stems. The seeds are used for cooking medicinal oil. The flower decorates any flower bed. 
Stemless species is purely decorative. This perennial produces several rosettes of leaves. A peduncle with a flower develops from the center of the rosette. The colors of the flowers are yellow, white, blue. The bush is low-growing, compact, dense, similar to a violet.
Stemless primrose (Primula acaulis)
Toothed primrose includes 2 types: primula capitate and Primula fine-toothed.
Primrose fine-toothed
- Primula polyanthus (multiflora) has large flowers (5-6 centimeters). The plant blooms in late May - June. The plant requires shelter for the winter.
- Curb primroses are the most stable and hardy.
- Exhibition- These are delicate, demanding hybrids. The flowers are covered with a powdery coating.
- Primula terry very beautiful and high maintenance.
- Polyanthaceae primroses are complex hybrids.
- Primrose candelabra are summer flowering. They require shelter for the winter.
The best varieties are:
Variety Max when grown in the shade it has black flowers, when good lighting the flowers have a cherry hue.
Primrose aurica Max(Max)
Primula pubescent Ruby is a large-flowered hybrid. The flower is velvety ruby-cherry, the center is large, yellow.
Primrose Rubin
Variety Violetta has light purple flowers. The eye is yellow.
Primula pubescent Violetta
You can also note the varieties: Delecluse, Primlet Sunrise, Piano, Little Primrose, Shaggy, Big Ben, Queen's Lace, Danova, Francesca, Blue Jeans, Miranda, spring primrose, Meteor, Daniela, Rosanna, Rosie varietal lines.
Growing from seeds at home
Growing from seeds is the most common method for propagating this plant. Seed propagation allows you to have rare and unusual varieties in your garden. Planting material grown with your own hands will be healthy and strong and will more easily survive transplantation.
Before sowing, you need to choose which primroses are best to plant. Perennial spring-flowering plants include: acaulis, roseate, tall primrose, fine-toothed, spring and auricula. Summer varieties include: Hawksbill, Japanese, Florinda, Cockburna, Bullea, Bullesian and Primrose viali.
For sowing, take shallow containers (boxes, containers, pots, peat tablets).
Sowing primrose seeds: video
Preparing soil and seeds
When the variety is selected, you can begin preparing the soil and seeds.
The substrate should be airy, light and fertile. The soil mixture should contain turf soil, universal soil from the store, and peat. 30-50 percent of sand, sphagnum moss, vermiculite and perlite are added to it. This additive allows you to retain moisture, allow air to pass through and maintain soil looseness. You can use ready-made substrate from a flower shop.
The substrate is calcined in the oven for 20 minutes and spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. These procedures help disinfect the soil.
Before sowing, the mixture is moistened one day before sowing.
You can collect the seeds yourself or buy them from seed shops. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to expiration dates and the microclimate in the room. To collect seeds from rare varieties to avoid cross-pollination, different varieties land at a distance from each other.
Overwintering plants often reproduce by self-sowing.
Most varieties require stratification (cooling) to germinate.
Breeding varieties do not require refrigeration.
Before sowing, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the variety.
For cooling, seeds should be kept in the refrigerator or on the balcony for 15-30 days. Or place them in the cold for 2 hours, then in the heat, and so on 5 times.
To accelerate germination, biostimulation is used. The seeds are soaked in aloe juice for 20 minutes, then dried and sown in the ground.
Sowing and caring for seedlings, when to plant
Sowing is carried out in December - January. Modern varieties (hybrids) have a shorter growth period and are sown in February - March. From the moment the primrose is sowed until the flowers form, 4-6 months pass.
The seeds are evenly laid out on a thin layer of snow or moist soil.
Small-seeded varieties (Pimula auriculus, Primula Siebold) are sown on a thin layer of vermiculite and sprayed with a spray bottle.
The seeds are poured onto paper folded in half and sown in the ground. This allows all the seeds to be distributed more evenly over the surface.
- There should be no more than 5 seeds per 1 centimeter.
- Larger seeds can be spread over the surface with a moistened toothpick.
- The seeds are placed at a distance of 1-1.5 centimeters from each other.
- When sowing, 1-2 seeds are dropped into peat tablets.
- When sown in a pot, no more than 3 seeds are placed in the soil.
After sowing, the seeds are lightly pressed to the ground and sprinkled with water.
Sowing primrose seeds in the snow
The container is covered with a transparent film or lid or glass.
When the soil dries out, it is moistened with a spray bottle. You can water the sprouts using a syringe without a needle. If there is a tray, watering can be done through it. Excess water is drained.
After sowing the seeds, the container is installed in a bright place (without direct sunlight). During the germination of light-loving varieties, additional lighting with a phytolamp is provided for better growth.
To avoid the accumulation of condensation, the film on the container is opened slightly several times a day, air exchange is created and excess moisture evaporates.
Germination requires a stable temperature of 15-18 degrees Celsius. The first shoots appear after 10-15 days. Increased temperatures lead to a reduction in the duration of primrose flowering.
Picking is carried out when 2 main leaves sprout. The soil should be breathable and light.
Small plants are fed with a weak solution of mineral fertilizers every 10 days.
As it grows, soil is added to the container.
Grown seedlings are planted in separate containers. Weak shoots are removed.
Seedlings are planted in open ground, reaching 10-20 centimeters in height (depending on the variety).
How to sow primroses in winter Seed stratification: video
Planting in open ground
Primrose is planted in the ground from early to mid-May (depending on the region). When using greenhouses, sowing can be done immediately after the snow melts and the air inside the shelter warms up to 16 degrees.
Primrose prefers fertile, drained soil, plenty of moisture and partial shade. The area should be shaded for at least 5 hours a day. The area is fed with rotted compost, dug up and loosened.
Plants can be planted near bushes and tall plants. Shade-loving varieties are planted under trees, along fences.
Sand, crushed sphagnum, vermiculite (bucket on square meter). Additionally, 20 kilograms of humus and 60 grams of mineral fertilizers are introduced per 1 meter.
Seedlings are planted in pre-prepared, watered holes. The size of the holes should be equal to the size of the earthen ball with the flower. The distance between the holes depends on the variety and size of the plant and ranges from 10 to 70 centimeters.
The seedling is lowered into the hole along with a lump of earth and pressed with earth. The root collar is buried.
Watering is done at the root. Do not pour water on the plant! There are about 3 liters of water per square meter.
To preserve moisture, mulch from peat, sawdust, and pine needles is distributed around the seedlings.
At night, at first, the plants are covered with film.
First feeding early varieties produced around the socket mineral fertilizers. After half a month, superphosphate (20 grams per square meter) is introduced for lush flowering.
After 20 days, fertilizing is done with an infusion of fermented manure (liter per bucket). Each bush requires a liter of fertilizer.
Caring for flowers in summer
Watering is carried out when the soil dries out. The soil should not dry out. During spring and summer, plants should receive a sufficient amount of moisture; by autumn, watering stops. Primrose should remain in dry soil for the winter. You need to water the plants carefully at the root, without touching the rosette and buds.
To retain moisture, mulch is distributed around the plantings.
In the absence of mulch, the soil is loosened after each watering and weeds are removed.
To prevent the soil from becoming alkalized, iron chelate or sulfate is added once a month during watering.
Feeding is carried out during budding and flowering, and then stops until the end of summer. Fertilizers are applied once every 2 weeks. Mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil.
For a good wintering in August, primroses are fertilized with a solution of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (30 grams per bucket).
Diseases and pests
Densified plantings and weeds lead to diseases and pest damage to primrose.
Primrose is an unpretentious plant, but there are diseases and pests that can destroy the flower.
Primrose is susceptible to damage:
- Fungus Ramularia cercosporella,
- Late blight,
- Root rot
- Anthracnose,
- Rust,
- Leaf spotting,
- Withering away
- Powdery mildew,
- Cucumber mosaic viruses
- Rot of stems.
The most dangerous disease for flowers is the fungus Ramularia cercosporella. The disease appears in late spring as spots on the leaves. The shape of the spots is round or angular. The color is pale. Over time, the color becomes brown or gray with a yellow border.
Affected leaves are cut off immediately. The plant is treated with Bordeaux mixture or any protective preparations. For prevention, spraying with Nitrafen solution is carried out.
With late blight, the above-ground part of the bush withers. Old leaves are left untouched at first. This disease occurs due to excessive watering. Timely watering under the bush protects the plant from disease. If damaged, the flower must be removed. 
Leaf spotting is defined by gray-brown spots with yellow edges. At high humidity A spore coating appears at the bottom of the leaf white. Old leaves are affected first. But seedlings may also be damaged. Spraying with fungicides and keeping the above-ground parts of the plant dry helps protect the plants.
Fungicides (Topsin, Fundazol, Nitrafen) are used to combat diseases. Treatment is carried out with copper oxychloride and Bordeaux mixture.
Traditional pests of primrose are aphids, slugs, caterpillars, weevils, nematodes, flea beetles, whiteflies and spider mites.
Black and green aphids spread from the bottom of the leaf, suck out the juices and leave specks on the leaves. Then a sooty coating appears.
Caterpillars gnaw flowers, stalks and foliage. Insecticides of the synthetic pyrethroid group are used for control.
Insecticides (Intavir, Iskra, Ragor) are used to control insects. Large pests with single damage can be collected manually.
Primrose propagation
Primrose propagates by dividing the bush, cuttings and seeds. Collected seeds are stored for 1-2 years.
Good seeds should have a thin, shiny shell and a small appendage.
Primrose cannot be grown in one place for more than 3-6 years. Transplantation and division of the bush is carried out in early August in the evening or in the spring. After primrose blooms, about 2 weeks should pass.
Child sockets carefully separated from the mother bush. The cut areas are sprinkled with ash. The soil for planting should be fertilized with rotted compost and dug up. Planting is done in prepared holes.
By winter, the plant has time to take root and grow.
Cuttings The largest bushes reproduce. Part of the formed dense roots is separated from them. Longitudinal cuts are made on the top of the cuttings. This helps the buds to germinate faster. Cuttings are planted to a depth of 4 centimeters. Standard care.
Leaf petiole with the bud is separated at the base of the root system. The leaf blade is cut by a third.
The petiole with part of the shoot is planted in a mixture of soil and sand. The pot is placed in a bright place with an air temperature of 16-18 degrees. When buds appear and 3-4 leaves sprout, they are planted in separate pots. In spring they can be transplanted into the ground.
Seeds are collected from slightly opened ripe capsules. After collecting, they need to be dried a little. For better storage they can be mixed with dry sand and placed in a cool place until sowing.
Why primroses die: video
What to do after flowering
Most varieties of primrose fade by mid-summer.
Faded flower stalks are cut off from part of the stem, this stimulates the growth and flowering of the plant.
Bushes with bright foliage are left to contrast with other flowers. The soil around the plants is cleared of weeds, loosened and left alone until winter.
Flowers for the winter need to be mulched 5-10 centimeters with humus, peat, compost, dry leaves, humus. During cold winters, plants become covered insulation material, spruce branches. The spruce branches additionally protect plants from mice.
If there is a large snow cover, the snow is cleared off.
In the spring, after removing the cover, the old leaves are cut off, and the primrose begins to actively grow and bloom.
Primrose is used in many countries as medicinal plants. Roots, leaves, stems, flowers and seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The leaves are added to salads, and the flowers are added to tea.
It's beautiful and unpretentious plant at proper care pleases with its bright colors for several years. And after seating allows you to get a large number of new bushes.
The first flowers welcome spring with us. For the most part, these are representatives of bulbous plants. They are tender, fragile and a little cold, just like the first spring months. Therefore, against the background of these flowers, the perennial primrose especially stands out, from which it breathes solar heat and the promise of a long-awaited summer.
Primrose or primrose (Primula) family Primroses are rhizomatous herbaceous low perennials, blooming primarily in spring, although there are some summer-blooming species. Whole wrinkled leaves have a slight edge; they form a basal rosette. Flowering stems do not have leaves. The flowers come in a surprisingly diverse range of colors, sometimes in two or even three colors. They are located singly on peduncles or form various inflorescences. After flowering, a capsule fruit with small dark brown seeds is formed. All species reproduce well by seed, and many by dividing the bush. You can find out more about caring for primroses.
This flower is distributed all over the world, therefore it has many species, more than four hundred. In almost every country it is shrouded in legends and myths and is considered medicinal and mystical. For their early flowering, primroses are called spring primroses, for their wavy, pubescent leaves - “rams”, and also “keys”, since the inflorescence resembles a bunch of small keys.
In the spring, missing warmth and flowers, we greet bulbous primroses with special tenderness and joy. The largest of...
Classifications of primroses
Although primroses have been well studied and described by botanists, their enormous diversity makes classification quite difficult.
A single universal classification has not yet been created. Officially, the genus primrose is divided into 7 subgenera: Sphondylia, Auricullastrum, Primula, Auganthus, Carolinella, Aleuritia, Craibia.
These plants differ from each other in shape, size, color of flowers and leaves, type of inflorescences, flowering dates, that is, morphological characteristics. On this basis, 23 (sometimes 30 or 38) sections or groups were identified.
The English Royal Horticultural Society has compiled its own, easier-to-use classification, which divides primroses into 3 large groups.
For practical use, flower growers have divided them into groups based on the shape of the inflorescences and their location.
Let us briefly consider these classification options.
Classification according to morphological characteristics
As we have already indicated above, the classification of primroses according to external signs allocates 23-38 sections. Let's consider only those species that can be grown in our country (approximately in the middle zone).
1. Powdery primrose
Mealy primrose (Primula fariaosa, Aleuritia). Characteristic feature This group is the presence of a white or yellow coating on plants. Small flowers form umbrella inflorescences. These are moisture-loving plants that require little shelter for the winter and are short-lived. This section includes more than 80 species.
Powdery primrose 
Primrose Hallera
Let's name just a few of them. This is a native of the Balkans, dense-leaved primrose (Primula frondosa), originally from the Alpine and Carpathian mountains, Haller's primrose (Primula halleri), mealy primrose (Primula fariaosa) grows in the Far East, the north of the European part of Russia, the north of Mongolia and in the mountains of Western Europe.
2. Primrose OREOPHLOMIS
Primrose pink
Primrose OREOPHLOMIS (Primula Oreophlomis) - this section includes low, early-flowering species. Distinctive features of this group are smooth leaves with a serrated edge and bright pink flowers with a small yellow eye.
The group most clearly represents the pink primrose (Primula rosea). Lover of wet soils from the Himalayas. Young leaves with serrated edges have a bronze tint, but gradually become light green. The peduncles are short and at first it seems that the flowers lie on the leaves, but gradually grow to 15 cm. Small (about 1 cm) pink flowers bloom in May.
On sale you can find the variety Rosea Grandiflora with large flowers.
3. Primrose auricula
Primrose auricula, or auriculastrum (Primula Auricula, Auriculastrum) - this section includes 21 species native to Europe. These are low-growing plants with dense leaves, the stems and flowers are covered with a white powdery coating. The color of the buds can be lilac, yellow, pink or purple, sometimes with a white eye.
Let's present several types.
Primula auricula or ear primula (Primula auricula) - grows in the mountain meadows of southern Europe. The leaves are dense, dark green, with barely noticeable teeth along the edge, and can reach 20 cm. Traditionally, the flowers are yellow (up to 3 cm), but the hybrids amaze with the variety of colors and their combinations; there are multi-flowered varieties, as well as with contrasting eyes. All this floral splendor is collected in an umbrella at the top of the stem (10-25 cm). Long flowering April-June. May have several peduncles. The leaves and flowers are richly “powdered”.
Terry ear primrose Сrimson Glow 
Terry primrose Susannah 
Terry ear primrose Jupp
This species has many varieties. In addition to the gorgeous flower, the orange-yellow variety Jupp has a delicate aroma. Reminiscent of small roses, terry primula aurica. Very beautiful with dense dark cherry flowers Сrimson Glow, soft pink with a light yellow base Susannah. An unusual Max variety, its flowers are black in the shade and take on a cherry hue in the sun.
Primrose pubescent Rubin
The pubescent primrose (Primula pubescens) is a section of large-flowered hybrids, in the selection of which the auricular, hairy (P. Villosa), sticky (P. Viscosa), and coarse-haired primroses (P. Hirsuta) took part. This group is divided into three subgroups: Belgian, English and terry auricles. They differ in the color of the eye and the presence of plaque.
Velvet ruby-cherry flower with a large yellow center in the Rubin variety, white-cream with a yellow eye in the White variety, light purple also with a yellow eye in the Violeta variety.
This section also includes small primroses (Primula minima), Delecluse (Primula clusiana), hairy primula (Primula villosa), Carniolian (Primula carniolica), stiff-haired (Primula hirsuta), edged (Primula marginata).
Primula hairy 
Primrose Delescluze 
Primrose carniolian
4. Cortus primroses
Corthusoid primroses (Primula Corthusoides) - unite residents of Europe, Siberia, Japan, Korea, and China. These species do not have a powdery coating, they have funnel-shaped flowers and petiolate leaves. This section includes the following types.
Primula corthusoides is our West Siberian beauty. The leaves are oval-oblong with teeth along the edge, covered with long hairs, located on long petioles. The peduncle (from 10 to 40 cm) is also pubescent. At its top the flowers are collected in a multi-flowered umbrella. The pinkish-purple petals have a deep groove in the middle. Blooms at the end of May and blooms until the end of June.
Siebold's primrose (Primula sieboldii) is a native of Japan. It is distinguished by very decorative leaves, which, due to the special shape of the teeth along the edge, appear wavy. Multi-flowered umbrellas of various colors are located on peduncles 15-20 cm long. It blooms for a long time (almost 2 months) starting from the end of April. Thanks to its well-branched rhizomes, it grows quickly.
Primula Siebold Aoyagizome 
Primrose Siebold Shibori Gasane
Of the original varieties, I would like to note the white variety with rare light green spots, the Aoyagizome variety, and the white variety Shibori Gasane with pink frequent streaks. The flowers of the Trade Winds variety series look like carved snowflakes.
This group also includes rock primrose (Primula saxatilis), rejected (Primula patens), polyneura (Primula polyneura).
5. Toothed primroses
Toothed primroses (Primula Denticulaia) - this section includes two species.
Primula capitata Salvana
Primrose capitata (Primula capitata) - this species is common in Tibet and India. The leaves are oblong with a blunt apex, wrinkled, collected in a basal rosette. On a peduncle (15-30 cm), a capitate inflorescence is formed from small velvet-purple flowers. The entire plant is “powdered” with a white coating. Blooms almost all summer. In our area it is used mainly as an annual plant.
Has decorative varieties such as Noverna Deep Blue, Salvana.
Primrose fine-toothed
Fine-toothed primrose (Primula denticulata) - differs from other species by its pretty ball-shaped inflorescences, consisting of small flowers of a traditional lilac color. The flower stalks grow constantly: at first they are only 2-3 cm, but gradually, by the middle of flowering they reach 20 cm, and at the end of the season even 30 cm. The whole plant is “powdered” with a yellowish coating. Serrated primrose begins to bloom in April and lasts for more than a month. Self-sows and overwinters well.
Primrose fine-toothed is represented by various decorative varieties. Dense balls of small flowers with tiny yellow eyes, deep pink in Deep Rose, lilac-blue in Cashmeriana, deep crimson in Rubra. Primrose "Alba" will delight you with small white clouds.
Has the primrose fine-toothed variety series. For example, Corolla, “Pon-pon” consist of different colors (white, purple, red).
6. Primrose Julia
Primrose Julia (Julia) - this section includes actually one species. Primrose Průgonica is often included in this group.
Primula Julia (Primula juliae) comes from Eastern Transcaucasia. This is a miniature plant (10 cm). The leaves are oval, with rounded teeth along the edge, located on long petioles. Lilac-violet flowers (up to 3 cm) are located one at a time at the top of the peduncle. They have a rather long flower tube (2 cm) and a deep groove in the middle of the petal. It blooms early in April and lasts for more than a month.
Primrose Julia Sneeuwwitje 
Primrose Julia Riga-6
There are many varieties and hybrids of this species. Popular variety Sneeuwwitje with snow-white petals and a lemon eye. The pleasant lilac-blue color contrasts well with the yellow eye of the hybrid variety Blue Julianas. An old but very attractive variety, Riga-6, the warmth of spring is reflected in its rich pink petals and yellow-orange center.
Pruhonician primrose (Primula pruhoniciana) is a hybrid of Julia primrose (Primula juliae) and other species. For example, raspberry-violet with a bright yellow eye Wanda.
7. Primrose muscarioides
Primrose muscarioides is a section of plants native to Tibet and the Himalayas. They are most often grown as biennials. Their distinctive feature is their long, pointed inflorescences, which are uncharacteristic of primroses.
Vial primrose or orchid primrose (Primula vialii) - this species is quite difficult to take root in our climate, but it is worth a little effort. The leaves are long, lanceolate (up to 30 cm), with teeth along the edge and very weak pubescence. The peduncle is covered with a powdery coating and grows up to 20 cm (in our area up to 15 cm). The inflorescence, somewhat reminiscent of a small ear of corn, consists of many rich red buds, which, gradually blooming (from bottom to top), turn into soft lilac flowers with a pleasant light scent. Flowering continues from June to July.
This group also includes the muscarian primrose (Primula muscarioides). This summer-flowering species is very rare in our country.
8. Primrose
Primrose (Primula) - this section with a general name includes species of European and Asia Minor origin, which completely lack powdery coating. Plants of this group are very common in decorative floriculture.
Primula tall - plants native to central Europe and the Carpathian Mountains. The oval-oblong leaves look wrinkled due to depressed veins. Leaf blade (from 5 to 20 cm) with a serrated edge and sparse hairs. The peduncle is slightly pubescent (10-35 cm). Small yellow flowers with a dark center form a slightly drooping umbrella inflorescence. Flowering continues for about two months, starting in mid-April. Hybrids have larger flowers and incredibly varied colors.
Primrose tall Piano Rose Bicolor 
Primrose high Victoriana Gold Lace Black
Now this species has many variety series. For example, “Piano” includes Piano Red, Blue, White, Yellow, Orange, Fire, and even the beautiful bicolor pink and yellow Piano Rose Bicolor. Thanks to its tall peduncles, the primrose "Erfurt giants" ("Big Ben") is even suitable for cutting.
Of the hybrids, I would like to note the so-called “lace” varieties - “Queen’s Lace”, Silver Lace Black, Victoriana Gold Lace Black. The rather dark petals of these varieties are framed by a thin whitish border, so the inflorescences appear delicate.
Polyantha primrose, or multi-flowered primrose (Primula poliantha) - this species is very similar to tall primrose (Primula elatior), only its flowers are much larger (about 5-6 cm), flowering occurs later (late May-June), there is a pleasant aroma. This species is much more tender and can freeze in winter, so a large number of such hybrids are grown as potted crops.
Primula polyanthus "Francesca"
The Blue Jeans variety is very popular; its white petals are densely filled with blue veins. The Faye variety series stands out for its striking combination of shades, and the SuperNova variety series stands out for its very early flowering. One of the most original hybrid varieties is “Francesca”, the owner of corrugated flowers of a lemon-green hue with a yellow eye.
Spring primrose (Primula veris) is an exclusively European species, which in the old days was called forest or medicinal primrose; it is still used for medicinal purposes. The leaves are oval, wrinkled (with depressed veins), uneven teeth along the edge make them slightly wavy. The lower part of the leaf may be slightly pubescent. The bright yellow flower with an orange center has a long calyx. The flowers at the top of the slightly hairy peduncle form a one-sided umbrella. Blooms from April to June. Numerous varieties have a wide variety of colors and can also be double. Spring primrose - very unpretentious appearance However, it requires pollination by insects.
Spring primrose 
Spring primrose
For example, golden sun splashes are reminiscent of the yellow flowers of the Cabrillo Yellow variety, and the “Spring Palette” variety mixture will delight you with joyful colors.
Common or stemless primrose (Primula vulgaris/acaulis) - grows in the south of our country and Europe. The leaves are oval, elongated (5-25 cm), wrinkled. At the top of the low peduncles (6-20 cm) there are single flowers, most often yellow, sometimes white with a purple center. The petals resemble a heart divided into two halves. This species blooms actively, so the plants look very attractive. Primula acaulis has many hybrids that have amazing colors, but are less resistant to weather conditions.
Primula stemless Blue Zebra
Primula stemless "Potsdam giants" stands out among others with large flowers on a very small bush (15 cm). And terry primrose “Primlet” looks like bouquets of cute little roses in stunningly beautiful colors. The flowers of the terry variety series “Rosanna” are a little reminiscent of azaleas. The Blue Zebra variety has a very original color - a bright contrast of a golden-yellow eye with striped blue-white petals.
Primula acaulis is very often used for growing at home.
This section also includes large-cup primrose (Primula macrocalyx), lovely (Primula amoena), Pallas (Primula pallasii), Voronova (Primula woronowii), Komarov (Primula komarovii), Ruprecht (Primula ruprechtii), Abkhazian (Primula abchasica), Sibtorpa ( Primula Sibthorpii).
Primrose is lovely 
Primula macrocalyx 
Primrose Sibthorpe 
Primula Komarova
9. Primrose candelabra
Candelabra primroses (Proliferae, Candelabra) - this section contains residents of Japan, China, India and other countries in this region. These plants are very beautiful and are summer bloomers. They grow well in our climate, but require careful shelter for the winter. Most often they are used as biennials, but if you create for them comfortable conditions, then they can also be grown as perennials. They often give good self-seeding.
Primula Byssa 
Primrose Bullea
Primula Bulleyana (Primula bulleyana) is a native of China, its peduncle reaches 50 cm, and the leaf blade is 40 cm. The leaves are elongated, jagged along the edge. On a tall peduncle in several tiers (from 5 to 7) there are small orange-yellow flowers.
The Byss primrose (Primula beesiana) and the powdered primrose (Primula pulverulenta) are very similar, only they are slightly larger with crimson flowers, and the latter type has a powdery coating.
Japanese primrose (Primula japonica) - this beauty can be used for cutting. Its peduncle (30-50 cm) seems to be decorated with bright crimson bracelets. Flowering begins in May from the lower tiers and lasts about 2 months.
Japanese Primrose Apple Blossom 
Japanese primrose Miller's Crimson
Japanese primrose is also used in indoor floriculture as a potted crop.
The delicate apple color is reminiscent of Apple Blossom, while Miller's Crimson has deep crimson flowers with a large cherry center.
Cockburn's primrose (Primula coekburniana) also belongs to this group, but is very rarely grown in our area.
As you can see, this is a rather complex classification and it is not always convenient for an amateur gardener to use it.
Classification of the English Royal Horticultural Society
This is a more simplified version of the classification.
Group-1. Ear-shaped primroses (auricula) and all kinds of their hybrids. This group is divided into 4 subgroups.
Primula aurica 
Border (flower bed) varieties are the hardiest and most resistant varieties of this group. Thanks to the strong flower stalks, they can withstand bad weather well. Their compact habit makes it possible to create low flowering borders from them, and the wide palette of colors makes them popular in the design of flower beds. May have a slight powdery coating.
Alpine auricula are also well suited for outdoor cultivation. All of them are brightly colored. The middle and tube must be the same color. Flowers with a white center tend to have petals in the violet-blue range, while if the center is golden yellow, the petals may be in the reddish-brown range. May have a light border. This subgroup does not have a powdery coating on the flowers.
Terry primrose is stunningly beautiful, but it requires more attention and care. However, it does well in flower beds with proper care.
Exhibition varieties are hybrid, rather demanding and delicate varieties. For the most part, the flowers are covered with a powdery powdery coating, which makes them very original. However, bad weather (rain and wind) greatly damages this bloom (farina), so in Europe these show varieties are grown under cover or at home. In addition, some of them cannot winter in open ground.
Group-2. Primrose polyanthus. This group includes 2 subgroups.
Polyantha primroses. This includes all complex hybrids involving multiflorous and tall primroses.
Spring primroses, common primroses, Julias, as well as all sorts of them.
Group-3. Candelabra primroses. This group combines species with tiered inflorescences. These are Japanese, Byssa and Bulleya, as well as all their varieties.
Primula vulgare 
Japanese primrose
This classification includes the most common species and varieties of primroses in decorative floriculture.
Classification by shape and arrangement of inflorescences
This is the simplest and most convenient classification for amateur gardeners, which allows you to choose varieties suitable for flower beds in terms of habit and shape.
Cushion-shaped. This group includes species with single flowers on low peduncles; they rise only slightly above the “cushion” of leaves. The most popular in decorative floriculture from this group are the common primrose, small primrose, Yulia, and Voronova.
Umbrella-shaped. In this group, the inflorescences form a one-sided or rounded umbrella on peduncles up to 20 cm. The most popular types of primrose are tall, polyanthus, auricular, spring, pink, rejected and all their hybrids.
Globular or capitate. The globular primrose forms a dense capitate inflorescence, which looks like a decorative ball on a stem that grows during flowering. This includes primrose fine-toothed, capitate and their varieties.
Candelabra or tiered. The inflorescences of this group are arranged in tiers on a tall, strong peduncle, reminiscent of ancient candelabra candlesticks. In our climate, Japanese primrose, Bullea, Byssus and powdered primrose are used.
Florinda's Primrose 
Primrose sikkim
Campanulaceae. This group has a drooping inflorescence of bell-shaped yellow flowers at the top of a strong peduncle. The group is small, but planting these plants is possible along the banks of reservoirs and in poorly drained areas. These are Sikkim primrose (Primula sikkimensis) and Florinda primrose (Primula florindae).
The garden has been known to people since the era of the most ancient civilizations. However, most often these were outdoor gardens. Winter Garden –…
Indoor primroses
We examined the garden primrose and its classifications. However, it should be noted that some species of this plant in our climate are grown as potted crops. Among them, the most common are Chinese primrose (Primula sinensis), Kyus primrose (Primula kewensis), malacoides primrose (Primula malacoides), obconical primrose (Primula obconica) and soft primrose (Primula malacoides).
Primrose obverse conical
For example, Chinese in open ground blooms in May-June, and at home - from December to March.
Perennial primrose is very diverse and beautiful. And the classifications we have considered will help you choose the variety that is suitable specifically for your garden. An educational video will complement the information.
Bought from a supermarket: Titania variety
There are many types of primroses, but in this article I want to talk about the most popular representatives of spring flower beds, the problems of growing them and what you need to do if you want to grow beautiful and unpretentious primroses in your garden.
Belarina Gream variety - also from the supermarket
It just so happens that the degree of passion for primroses in our country largely depends on what foreign innovations nurseries offer us. I will not say unequivocally that all foreign primroses cannot tolerate our harsh climate. However, many popular hybrids from the stemless (P. acaulis) and tall (P. elatior) groups of primroses with double or huge flowers of intricate colors and shapes are not suitable for long-term cultivation in open ground. They are sold not only by supermarkets and garden centers, but also by “knowledgeable” private traders. Buying such primroses can be compared to playing the lottery. Rare individual cultivars in the Moscow region can live safely and bloom profusely for many years. Most will die first a normal winter, or they will lead a miserable existence, weakly developing and meagerly thriving, waiting for a harsh snowless winter in order to die safely and completely. As a rule, in modern industrial floriculture these varieties are traditionally used as disposable miniature bouquets or fragments flower arrangements for decorating rooms, offices, verandas and patios.
Auricular primrose (Elena)
Fashion for varietals ear primroses (P. auricula) appeared in our country quite recently and is just gaining momentum. The interest of amateurs in them is growing every year, but the experience of competent cultivation is not yet enough. But foreign selection of auricles has a long history. For example, in England, ear primroses have been popular for more than 400 years. Flower growers love them not only for their beauty, but also for their endurance; auricles tolerate harsh winters and are not particularly demanding on growing conditions. However, such positive qualities Not all auricles have it. However, there are not so many “whims” and only certain varieties and groups are distinguished by their fastidious disposition. But the main problem with foreign varieties of auricula is that in their homeland they are often kept under canopies or in cold greenhouses with constant ventilation during the flowering period. This cultivation culture is due to the fact that in most auricular primroses the degree of formation of powdery plaque (farina), both on flowers and leaves, is highly valued. In the open air, powdered farina crumbles from bad weather or is washed away by rain. Foreign primrose lovers are accustomed to admiring the blooming “eared flowers” in pots not only at exhibitions, but also at home, indoors winter gardens, greenhouses, verandas and terraces. In our country, no one is actively using this method of rearranging auricular culture yet, and for this reason, the choice of foreign varieties must be approached carefully. It is generally accepted that the most unpretentious auricula under growing conditions open ground– these are groups: border (flower bed), terry and alpine. Their flowers are less affected by bad weather. The capricious but spectacular group of “show auricula” is not yet in great demand among Russian collectors, as it requires not only protection during the flowering period, but also dry keeping in unheated greenhouses in the winter, where there is no harmful influence of thaws.
Siebold's primrose (P.siboldii) pink
Old hybrids Primrose Siebold (P. sieboldii) They have been growing in gardens near Moscow for a long time, but they do not differ in variety. As a rule, they are divided into two types with the names “pink” or “lilac”; occasionally “white” is found. Modern varietal Siebold primroses with flowers of incredible shape, including double ones, are found on sale only among advanced collectors. These primroses are unpretentious and winter-hardy, but they differ in the way they are grown. A month and a half after flowering, their foliage begins to gradually die off and the plants go into a dormant period. Some varieties can retain foliage until the end of the season, especially in areas with consistently moderately moist soil. But in early spring, you may not find any signs of the plant’s presence at the planting site. Siebold's primroses wake up much later than other primroses and their delicate leaves emerge from the ground when other primroses are already at their peak of flowering. And one more fundamental difference. The underground rhizome grows quite quickly and over time, Siebold's primrose can happily occupy any free space around itself. In addition, adult specimens require annual mulching with organic matter, since the root system also grows upward, exposing the buds of renewal of the next season by autumn.
According to statistics, the most popular perennial grown by amateur flower growers from seeds has been and remains primrose. But the situation with seeds is exactly the same as with ready-made planting material: amateurs actively use products from foreign manufacturers. And amateur sowers have no fewer problems, and often much more. Information on packages about how to properly use seeds is not always reliable. Great confusion on seductive colorful bags can also be caused by incorrect identification of the type of primroses, which are most often of hybrid origin. Seeds of species primroses are rarely sold in ordinary garden centers. As a rule, they can only be purchased from enthusiastic collectors, since they are not in great demand among a wide range of consumers. Seeds of wild plants often require special germination conditions, which primrose seeds of complex hybrid origin do not need. Contrary to this, “experienced and experienced” flower growers strongly recommend multi-stage stratification and soaking of hybrid seeds in new-fangled biostimulants and growth hormones, simply forgetting that the germination of primroses directly depends on their freshness, and not on pre-sowing treatment. And the packaging date is not always a guarantee of quality and time of seed collection. And yet I am very pleased that all these “troubles” with seed germination, their germination in difficult home conditions and the labor-intensive adaptation of foreign seedlings to the harsh conditions of the Russian climate do not stop desperate enthusiasts, and from time to time they persistently achieve positive results.
Polyanthus hybrid
I also consider myself one of those gardeners who grow garden primroses from seeds. But I have little interest in hybrid seeds that are intended for growing in greenhouses. If I buy seeds at garden centers, I choose polyantha hybrids (P. xpolyantha), high primrose hybrids (P. elatior), Julia primrose hybrids (P. juliae) and, of course, auricula (P. auricula). From the seedlings of these primroses I select the most beautiful and unpretentious ones.
Winter-hardy and unpretentious hybrid seedling of stemless primrose (P.acaulis)
Primrose Julia hybrid (P.juliae)
In the future, I use these plants for breeding purposes - I cross them with primroses, which have been growing for many years and have survived more than one harsh, snowless winter. I am happy when the result is seedlings that are distinguished not only by their exquisite colors, but also by their increased endurance.
Auricular primrose seedling (Alla)
Breeding primroses is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. With desire and patience, you can grow interesting cultivars, even if your collection of primroses is relatively small. Typically, amateur flower growers use two selection methods - open pollination and selection of parental pairs. With open pollination, the seeds are simply collected from the most beautiful primroses. When selecting parent pairs, the coincidence of flowering dates is taken into account and both plants are planted nearby, but apart from other primroses. You can plant not two, but several plants at once in the same way. As a rule, flowers in breeding pairs and groups are pollinated by insects, but you can help nature and use a thin soft brush to transfer pollen from one plant to another.
Polyantha primrose seedling
opened seed pod of polyanthus primrose with spilled seeds
Collecting seeds from primroses is also not difficult. Pay close attention to how the seed pods ripen. Pick them when they turn brown or become waxy. In order for the seeds to ripen well, they are stored in a dry place. The best and most reliable option for ensuring that seedlings are adapted to local growing conditions is winter sowing.
Spring shoots of winter sowing of primroses
Since the seeds of primroses are quite small, they are sown in ordinary buried plastic pots or containers in late autumn (late October, November) after the soil is slightly frozen. You can sow the seeds immediately after collecting them, but often by the end of the season they have already grown into tiny plants and not all of them are able to overwinter without problems. But this also has its advantages - the strongest and most unpretentious survive. Therefore, some hobbyists practice growing primroses obtained by self-seeding. With this method, you only need one condition - keeping the soil under the primroses free of weeds and in a constant, moderately moist state. This increases the chances of seedling survival. It is advisable to transplant young plants from the mother bushes as early as possible. In an open, free space, self-sowing babies develop much faster and usually by the end of the season go to winter as strong young bushes with a rosette of several true leaves.
Primrose seedlings of spring home sowing
In conclusion, a few photographs of seedlings of polyanthus and auricular primroses (I gave the latter conventional names - female names.
Alexandra
Valentina
Primrose is a plant whose diversity of species and varieties can be endlessly surprising. But most gardeners, having heard about it, immediately imagine small bushes covered with a cap of bright and delicate flowers. This is exactly what stemless primrose looks like, growing from seeds is not uncommon today even at home.
Primrose stemless: features of the species
Common primrose (P. vulgaris) or stemless primrose (P. acaulis) is a type of primrose consisting of perennial herbaceous plants 5-20 cm high. Their superficial root system consists of many brown thick roots. The oblong lanceolate leaves are wrinkled, pubescent on the underside, with small teeth along the edges. The flowers are funnel-shaped, usually reach 2-4 cm in diameter, on low pedicels growing directly from the rhizome, slightly rising above the leaf rosette. In flowers, species plants are more characterized by white, yellow, shades of pink and red, while hybrid varieties have a more diverse palette of shapes and colors. Species primroses and hybrids are distinguished by the color and structure of the inflorescences. Thus, in the common primrose the flowers are often smaller, collected in inflorescences and located on peduncles up to 20 cm high. Hybrids of the stemless primrose have single flowers several large sizes, sometimes double, located on separate peduncles and surrounded by large bracts. It is the hybrid varieties of stemless primrose that are often called “primrose acaulis” (acaulis).
Specifics of growing stemless primrose
Primula Akaulis Mix in the garden – perfect solution for filling areas located in partial shade under the canopy fruit trees. Moreover, growing this flower and caring for it is not particularly difficult and is quite suitable general rules agricultural technology for all types of primroses. Although it is still better not to forget about some subtleties.
1. The ideal time for sowing is early spring, when the amount of moisture in the soil and temperature are optimal for primroses.
2. Common primrose propagates by seeds and by dividing the bush. When grown by seedlings, it is quite possible to do without stratification, although seeds or acquired plant rhizomes still need to be kept in the zero compartment of the refrigerator. Dividing the bush, which is carried out every 3-5 years, with a sufficient amount of moisture tolerates almost any time of the year, but the most favorable time For this procedure, early spring and the period immediately after flowering are considered.
3. Hybrid varieties (for example, stemless primrose “Danova”, etc.) do not always retain their properties when sown with self-harvested seeds mother plants and can naturalize, therefore they are better for preserving the variety.
4. Terry stemless primroses are initially sterile, therefore they are propagated exclusively by vegetative means. Sometimes they include stemless primrose "Rosanna". But this variety has a characteristic flower shape, in which the same five petals are distinguished by wavy edges, and they themselves are not fully open, so the middle is not visible.
5. Stemless primrose, which allows you to grow various plant varieties, is undemanding in care. The main thing that is necessary for its successful cultivation is regular watering, supplemented by dense plantings, in which the space between the plants is not visible behind the leaves.
6. Some varieties of stemless primrose are able to re-bloom in the fall. There is an opinion that this weakens the plant before wintering and future spring flowering, which is why some gardeners break off the buds that appear in the fall.
7. Acaulis primroses are generally frost-resistant, so additional winter shelter is rarely used, only for young plants and hybrids.
8. Some hybrid varieties and stemless large-flowered primroses, which include the “Potsdam Giants,” do not tolerate wintering in the garden, which is why they are often grown as summer plants and provide them with winter shelter.
9. The most resistant varieties are often distinguished by pastel shades (not blue) and a flower shape that is closest to natural ones, as well as the absence of voluminous bracts.
Primula Akaulis Mix in the garden is great for borders, flower meadows and alpine slides. It goes well with taller perennials, simultaneously flowering small-bulbous plants, ferns, hostas, etc. In addition, primrose acaulis is often grown in pots, followed by transplanting the plant into open ground.
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