Blooming in early spring, the primrose flower will continue to flourish for the rest of the year.
You can plant this bright-colored flower in the flowerbed or near the border to lighten up your garden.
Here you can learn more about the right condition to grow primroses as well as the proper care procedure to keep them thriving for a long time.
Table of Contents
1. Getting to Know Primrose Flower
Primrose (Primula polyantha) refers to the wild flower plant from the genus Primula.
Primrose (Primula polyantha) refers to the wild flower plant from the genus Primula.
It is characterized by short stems, tufted basal leaves, and bright, colorful flowers which cluster on the stalks.
The plant belongs to the perennial plant groups, meaning that it has a long life span after the flowers bloom in early spring.
Because of its showy and attractive flowers, primrose is often chosen to beautify the landscape or flowerbed in the garden.
There are large numbers of primrose varieties, but the most popular variety in the garden comes from its hybrid species, namely Polyanthus hybrids.
Primrose color of this variety ranges from soft colors like white, cream, or yellow, to brighter shades in pink, red, or orange.
2. Varieties of Primrose Flower
Primrose flower has a number of varieties that come from different genera.
In addition to its main genus, Primula, several famous varieties of primrose are originated from another genus, Oenothera.
The following is a brief description of some primrose varieties.
-
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L.)
Evening primrose plant is native to North America. In its natural habitat, the height of this flowering plant can reach up to six feet tall.
The plant produces leafy stalks and large flowers in pale yellow colors. Because of its flower color, this variety is often called yellow primrose.
-
Mexican Primrose (Oenothera berlandieri)
Although it is native to the land of sombrero, Mexican primrose is widely found in several states of the US, such as Nebraska, Texas, and Oklahoma.
This variety has pink or purple flowers with a height of 18-24 inches.
-
Japanese Primrose (Primula kisoana)
This Japanese species is characterized by fuzzy leaves and small flowers in pale pink color. P. kisoana prefers the soil that is rich in humus.
3. Primrose Growing Requirements
Primrose perennial is easy to grow because the plant is hardy and adaptable, even in the winter.
Nevertheless, you still need to provide the best growing condition for this flowering plant, so it will thrive better for a longer time.
In general, the plant prefers to grow in a woodland condition. It can be realized by choosing a good planting medium as well as adjusting the light and humidity of the planting area.
-
Planting Medium
Primrose thrives well in well-drained soil which is rich in organic nutrients.
While its young plant can be grown directly in the flowerbed, the seeds of primrose flower should be grown in a specific planting medium.
The seeds should be planted in a medium which contains an equal mixture of soil, sand, and peat moss.
However, when the leaves grow from the seedlings, the plant can be transplanted into regular soil with good drainage.
-
Light Requirements
Shady area with an ample amount of light is the perfect place to grow primrose.
Such location allows the plant to keep its moisture at a balanced level without suffering from too much light.
-
Humidity Requirements
Primrose needs to be kept in a light, moist and humid situation. To retain moisture from the plant, you can cover the planting location with mulch or decaying leaves.
Mulch is effective for keeping water in the soil as well as improving the drainage system.
Read now : Growing Brazilian Silver Vase Plant at Home
4. How to Plant Primrose Flower
There are two different ways to plant primrose flower. The first and simple way to do this is buying young primrose with unopened flower buds in the nursery.
Later, you can plant it directly in the flowerbed of your garden to let the buds open and bloom.
Alternatively, planting primrose can be started from seeds. In this case, primrose seed propagation should be done in an indoor container.
Once the seedlings bear two or three leaves, you can transplant them into the garden.
Whichever planting procedure you choose, note that primrose stem should be planted with the depth of 4-6 inches.
Moreover, if you plant more than one stem, each of them should be set about 6-12 inches apart.
5. Primrose Care Guide
Whether you grow the flower from the young plant or the seed, primrose care is basically the same since it is performed once the flowers start blooming.
Here are some basic procedures you need to know when caring for the primrose flower.
-
Watering
Watering primroses needs to be done thoroughly along the summer and at least once a week during the drought periods. It is not necessary to water primrose in the fall.
-
Fertilizing
Lightly apply organic fertilizer to the flowers during their blooming season. Although fertilizing is not the main priority in primrose care, it is quite useful for increasing organic matter in the soil.
-
Pruning
When the blooming season ends, the primrose plant usually drops some leaves and flowers.
When this happens, what you need to do is prune the dead leaves, and the spent blooms that come from the plant. Regular pruning will help primrose plant maintain its good state.
6. Some Problems with Primrose Flower
Despite its adaptability to thrive in different seasons, the primrose plant might be decayed if it doesn’t receive enough drainage and moisture.
Root rots or crown rots are some problems that commonly occur as a result of bad drainage.
Therefore, you need to keep the plant moist by planting it in well-drained soil and adding compost if needed.
Moreover, similar to some other flowering plants in the garden, primrose is a target of slugs or snails attack. Several types of pests like aphids or spider mites also produce a harmful effect to this flower.
The presence of those common pests can be prevented by spraying soapy water to the plants every once in a while.
When planted in a good growing location and given proper care, the primrose flower will be a point of attraction in the garden or front lawn.
Moreover, because of its perennial features, growing primrose plant does not require much effort.
More topics you would like :
Once you learn the basic growing and caring procedure presented in this guide, you can start choosing the best variety of primrose and grow it on your own.
Leave a Reply