Primula auricula

Primula auricula
auricula, mountain cowslip

SIZE/TYPE	low or groundcovering
USUAL HEIGHT	0.2-0.2m
USUAL WIDTH	0.2-0.3m
LEAVES	evergreen broadleaf
COLOUR OF LEAVES	light green
FLOWERS	showy
COLOUR OF FLOWERS	combined:burgundy red and yellow
BLOOMING TIME	April - May
LOCATION	full to partial sun
USDA zone (lowest)	2 (down to -45°C)
WINTER PROTECTION
FOR ZONE 5+6
FOR ZONE 7
BELONGS TO CATEGORIES	Perennials

This primrose is quite unique. It is evergreen and is classified as a succulent. It comes from the Alps where it grows in crevices and stone cracks, or in very rocky ground where it is protected from rotting in winter. Its large, evergreen leaves look similar to those of bergenias (elephant’s ears), which is probably why it got another name: bear’s ears.

From late April it produces about 10 cm tall stems with slightly fragrant, deep purple blue or violet flowers with yellow centres. It blooms for a considerable period of time and again in early summer it may offer a few flowers.

Grow it in sharply drained, preferably alkaline soil that will never dry out completely. Full sun or just part shade will result in profuse flowering, in shaded locations it will make larger leaves but fewer blooms. Hardy to about -45°C (USDA zone 2).

Last update 06-04-2012

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GLOSSARY

STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.