Primrose is a genus of over 500 species of perennial herbs in the Primulaceae family. They are native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, south into tropical mountains in Ethiopia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, and in temperate southern South America. Almost half of the known species are from the Himalayas. They can be found anywhere from mountain slopes to bogs or meadows. Primula is from Latin primus, meaning first. The genus contains over 450 species with over 250 in cultivation. Many prefer cool, shaded, moist soil with abundant organic matter and can grow up to 3 feet tall. Divide clumps after flowering. Flowers are either 'pin-eyes', with long styles and short anthers or 'thrum-eyes', with long anthers and short styles. They come in a variety of colors and generally bloom in spring in rounded clusters above a rosette of leaves. Many ornamental species can be u used in containers, in rock gardens, in borders, and in shade gardens. 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 Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for slugs, snails weavels, aphids and spider mites. Diseases can include gray mold, leaf spot, root and crown rot and viral diseases.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Mounding
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate; Spatulate
Leaf feel
Waxy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
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. Size and shape vary with species.
Flower color
Blue; Gold/Yellow; Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme; Umbel
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
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.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Small oval to rounded capsules that split from the top to release seeds.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stoutgreen scapes emerge from the rosette of leaves.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Temperate and Subtropical Regions
Wildlife value
They provide nectar for early season pollinators and some are host plants to butterflies.
Attracts
Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Houseplants
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Cottage Garden; English Garden; Pollinator Garden; Shade Garden