Tall primrose: description and cultivation of the species

Yellow primrose flowers are a sign of the coming of spring. They appear among the first plants in meadows, forests and stream banks after the thaw.

Tall primrose (tall primrose) belongs to the Primroses family and is a perennial. The basal leaves of an egg-shaped form create small rosettes, at first they are erect, and as they grow, they tend to the ground. Wrinkled leaf plates, pubescent with soft bristles on both sides, have different edges:

• serrated;
• crenate;
• whole.

Stems are erect, dense, can reach 30 cm in height. Flowers in the form of a bell with an elongated five-petal corolla of light yellow color form a wide umbellate inflorescence of 10-30 pieces on one peduncle. There are small darkish spots on the bend of the petals. Some flowers have short pistils, while others, on the contrary, are long. This promotes cross-pollination of the plant. The fruits are small boxes that open at the top. Seeds are tiny, numerous, dark in color.

Due to its beautifully flowering appearance, early appearance of flowers and ease of care, the tall primrose is increasingly planted in the plots. Primrose is represented by many varieties, each of which has its own characteristics in the shape or color of flowers.

• "Alba" - has a short stature, can reach only 20 cm. Flowers - snow-white with a heart of yellow tones, form an umbrella-inflorescence of 7-10 bells.

• "Erfurt giants" - a variety with large inflorescences of different colors. The height of the flower is about 30 cm.

• "Colosseum" - with significant buds of a bright purple-crimson color, with a yellow center and a whitish border.

• "Rosea" - with small flowers of different shades of pink and yellow.

• "Cerulea" differs in deep blue color of flowers with a yellow neck. The umbrella is formed from 8-10 bell flowers.

In addition to popular varieties, a large number of hybrid varieties have been bred that look no less impressive. Primrose looks beautiful both in mixed plantings with other plants, and with single bushes.

Seeds for germination are prepared at the very beginning of spring. If they want to sow directly in the garden, then they do it immediately after the snow melts or in late autumn. Sowing can be carried out in the summer, but then the plants do not germinate well. To get good, healthy seedlings, you need to stratify them, that is, create conditions similar to natural ones. When growing, you need to take into account some of the nuances:

• in containers for germinating seedlings, holes must be made in the bottom so that the water can drain;
• to make the soil more loose, it is mixed with moss;
• seeds are placed on moistened ground and lightly pressed down with a thin stick;
• the container is covered with polyethylene or glass and placed in a cold place for a month;
• then put it under good lighting, but make sure that direct sunlight does not fall;
• the temperature is maintained at 17-20 degrees;
• every day, the shelter needs to be removed for a while.

After about 2 weeks, shoots begin to form. After their appearance, the container is rearranged to partial shade and regular spraying is used instead of watering.When the first leaves are formed, the shelter is removed completely. Seedlings dive at least 3 times, this contributes to the correct development of the root system of the plant:

• after the appearance of the first leaf (sprouts are planted after 5 cm);
• when the seedling begins to grow;
• into open ground.

Tall primrose belongs to lovers of semi-shaded places and does not feel very well in direct sunlight. For this reason, primrose should be planted in shaded areas, in the shade of trees or bushes. Autumn planting is recommended before the onset of frost. The sprouts are planted as follows:

• the soil is fertile, with humus introduced and well loosened;
• a little ash, sheet compost and sand are laid out on the bottom of the dug small holes;
• large seedlings are planted half a meter apart, medium ones - after 30 cm, and small ones can be placed side by side;
• the soil is slightly pressed and moistened.

Tall primrose does not need special care. Regular watering in moderation, protection from direct sunlight, loosening the soil and applying mineral fertilizers (three times in spring, at the beginning of summer and at the end of summer) - that's all the primrose care. The flower does not like the presence of weeds, so they need to be weeded out. The plant practically does not get sick, in rare cases, infection with a fungus can occur. If brown spots have formed on the leaf plates and they begin to dry out, they are removed, and the flower is treated with special antifungal drugs.

Every 3-4 years, adult plants are divided so that the plantings are not too thick and continue to bloom profusely. This procedure is carried out after the end of flowering. Primrose is a frost-resistant culture, therefore, it is not dug up for the winter, but only well covered with dry leaves.

The high primrose is bred in three options:

• using seeds;
• cuttings;
• dividing the bush.

Many seeds ripen in the pods of the primrose, but they are difficult to store and rather quickly lose their germination properties. Because of this, growers recommend sowing them immediately after harvest, as they have the best similarity. The plant reproduces well by cuttings, in addition to the fact that this method is quite fast, it is also quite effective.

The shoots are planted in small containers with a well-moistened mixture of soil and sand, placed in a well-lit place with a temperature of +16 degrees. When new leaves appear, the seedlings dive, and when they get a little stronger, they are planted in open soil. The division of the bush is carried out regularly after the end of flowering, every 3-4 years to renew the bushes. The roots are carefully cleaned from the ground and separated with a sharp, disinfected knife so that each part has 1-2 rosettes. All sections must be sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

From each bush, you can get 5-6 full-fledged new plants, which are planted in well-moistened soil and protected from sunlight. Better to plant on cloudy or rainy days. Growing primrose won't be a hassle but the garden will look much brighter and delight with delicate primrose flowers.

You can learn more about the features of growing and caring for a tall primrose in the next video.