A Primula-rina
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this Primula that was showing promise to be a great Primula-rina!
Last time when I had visions of dancing plants it was two years ago because of a twirling Arisaema – it is not that often to discover a first class ballerina!.
Primula frondosa is a dwarf, farinose primula endemic from Bulgaria where it grows on cliffs at 900-2000 m altitude, in partly shaded, moist crevices. It is very hardy and will show up from under the snow, with a tight silvery rosette (you may wish that it remains like that), but then the leaves expand and remain powdery only beneath (but the flowering stem and flower pedicels still covered in silvery hairs). A very floriferous primula: umbels with up to 30 pink, delicate flowers with a yellow eye in early spring.
Sometimes mistaken for P. farinosa (and vice-versa, but P. farinosa has white-farina on both side of the leaves, and it flowers much later). Both are commonly called Bird’s eye Primulas.
Propagation: very easy to grow from seeds (like other Primula spp.), and it will start flowering in the second year – soooo gratifying!
Beautiful. Reading your blogs is like studying at the University of Wonderful Plants.
What can I say…
:)
I just love the bird’s eye Primroses! I have three tiny seedlings coming along of farinosa..one had a flower stem that a chipmunk bit off just as it was opening!
Pretty! My mother used to grow these, and I remember them from my childhood
I have ambivalent feelings about the chipmunks too (you can guess what I’m talking about). I am slowly becoming a big Primula fan!
This year I only did a couple of which I look fw to see P. maximowiczii growing!
Thanks, I guess is that sort of plant that remains in your memory…
I have such bad luck with P. maximowiczii! Do you have any tips?
Not really, first year I try it and I only had a few seeds – 2 seedlings alive and well.
Ha ha! Let us know when it starts doing pirouettes. Very pretty.
Thanks – I will.