Pick a Primrose For a Pop of Perfection

The cold and dreary winter leaves us longing for the bright colors and fragrance of spring flowers. To satisfy this longing, purchase a few primrose plants to add a pop of color in your home. At this time of the year, garden centers and grocery stores have an abundance of cottage primroses for sale. These hardy perennials are relatively easy to maintain in the winter months and are ready to transplant into the garden after the last hard frost.

The cottage primrose (Primula x polyantha) is a flowering plant within the family Primulaceae which includes over 400 species. Primrose have basal leaves which are either toothed or lobed. Their flowers bloom in an umbel or branched cluster. Primrose flowers have a yellow 'eye', and the flower lobes have a notch at their tips. Flower colors vary from blues and purples to reds and golds. An early spring blooming flower, partial to woodland areas, primrose is derived from medieval Latin prima rosa, meaning "first rose." Primrose are native to Europe and parts of Africa and Asia.

Select plants that have bright green, healthy leaves and full blooms. Indoors, keep primrose plants in a sunny window, within a temperature range of 50° Fahrenheit at night to 70° Fahrenheit during the day. Primrose like to be moist, but not soggy; overwatering leads to root rot. Remove spent leaves and flowers. The flower clusters last for weeks, which makes this plant very economical and appealing. While indoors, primrose don't need to be fertilized.

In spring, acclimate cottage primroses to the outdoors prior to transplanting. Over a few days, leave the plants outside during the day and bring them in at night when outdoor temperatures drop below freezing.

Other hardy primrose plants available in garden centers and through specialty nurseries include, Primula vulgaris, P. japonica, and P. sieboldii. Primula vulgaris, the English or common primrose is semi-evergreen and long-lived. This species produces pale yellow flowers in April. These plants are small in size but may spread 6 to 8 inches. Their small flowers bloom in a cluster on a single 6-inch stem, and a light fragrance may be detected.

The Japanese or candelabra primrose (Primula japonica) thrives in damp areas and bogs in sun or partial shade. Flowers are borne May through June on 12 to 18-inch spikes in shades of pink, dark rose, and white. The plants reseed easily and will form a dense colony when grown in the proper conditions.

Another primula native to Asia, the cherry blossom primrose (Primula sieboldii), flowers in mid-May on 12-inch flower stalks. Blooms may be cherry red, white, lavender or pink. The light green leaves are ruffled with attractive toothed margins. This woodland species prefers a well-drained but moist site; in summer plants go dormant.

Most primroses prefer moist, slightly acidic soil, rich in humus and organic material. Lightly fertilize after they are planted. Select an area that has bright sun in the spring and part sun/part shade in the summer. Space primroses about 4-6 inches apart, as they like to spread. Primrose can reseed themselves, and over the years, they can be divided and replanted as needed. Pair single-color primroses with spring bulbs for additional color and texture. Multi-colored flowers look fresh against a green background (such as evergreens), in their own planting section and in containers. Design your own primrose path, planting varieties of primrose along an existing or newly-created walkway.

Primrose brighten the gloomy days of winter as we anticipate the early days of spring. Purchase a few primrose, you won't be disappointed!