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Alpine primula
Alpine primula come in many different shapes and forms. Most of them originate from the mountainous regions of Europe and are very hardy plants. Although fairly small plants which can be slow to develop, they have a certain charm that makes them very special to many gardeners and collectors.
Flowering period: Some of the European Alpine Primulas are some of the first to flower, starting in mid-winter. Most of the Auriculas will flower from mid-spring to early summer depending on the varying temperatures.
Height: 10-15 cm
Culture: Alpine plants need conditions that replicate their natural conditions in the wild. Well-drained planting conditions are essential if they are to survive milder winters as they are used to being covered in a blanket of snow in the winter months and dislike warm and wet winters. Some are fairly easy to grow in the garden in rockeries or shady borders. Some will be best reserved to the collector who is ready to look after them by growing them in pots and over-wintering in an Alpine greenhouse. Check the individual product descriptions.
For more information about sowing Alpine Primula, please consult our information page Sowing Primula seeds.
Subcategories
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Auricula seeds
Auriculas are the alpine cousins of our wild primroses. Also known as the bear's ears primrose, they have smooth rounded fleshy leaves often covered with powder, to protect them from the intense solar radiation of the high mountains. Their jewel-like colours were much loved by the 18th and 19th century florists, although they are considered old-fashioned plants, they are still cherished today by young and old alike.
To find out a bit more about the fascinating history of the Auricula take a look at our Auricula History pages.
They are broadly split into two categories :
Garden Auriculas include alpine, border, doubles and striped. These are intended for the garden and are fully hardy and relatively easy to grow. Can be grown in pots or in the ground, but make sure they have good drainage in winter and protection from slugs.
Show auriculas are split into 5 distinct types : self, fancy, green edged, grey edged and white edged. All have a distinct circle of white paste or farina at the centre of the flower. The show auriculas are often grown in pots and need a little more attention if you are to succeed in producing top quality flowers.
Flowering period: Mid-spring- early summer.
Culture: Growing auriculas from seed can be quite a challenge as they are slow to develop and will need keeping damp and cool for quite a long time and then drier over the first winter. Some plants will flower the first year but some might take longer.
For tips on growing Auriculas, see the sections on Garden auriculas or Show auriculas.For more information about sowing auriculas, please consult our information page Sowing Primula seeds.
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Other Alpine hybrids
Primula marginata, Primula allionii and their many hybrids are usually classified as European Alpine Primula. They are native to the mountainous regions of Europe and often include hybrids with P. auricula and P. hirsuta as well. They are essential treasures in the rock garden, trough or alpine house for that very early burst of colour that foretells the coming of spring. They are the earliest flowering group of Primulas, and are often treasured for the masses of small flowers and often interesting foliage.
These are very fiddly to pollinate as they are so small so we just collect the open-pollinated seed from all our mother plants. There are usually some lovely results.
Flowering period: Mid winter – early spring
Height: 10-15 cm
Culture: They need a rich, moist but well-drained soil and like all Primulas they should not dry out in the summer. Many are suited to a cold greenhouse or alpine house and some of them need protection from winter wet but many of the hybrids are a lot tougher and will grow well outside in troughs and screes. They are not fast growing, but on the plus side will put up with a lot more neglect and starvation than other primulas.
For more information on sowing Alpine European Primula, please consult our information page Sowing Primula seeds.
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Alpine Species
A selection of botanical species of Primula suited for the alpine garden, troughs or cold greenhouses.
For more information about sowing Alpine species, please consult our information page Sowing Primula seeds.