How long do primroses bloom?
Where should you plant them?
Use this handy guide to learn the answer to these questions and more.
W. Garrett Scholes.
With more than 400 species, primrose comes in a rainbow of colors, shapes, and sizes.
Most primroses offer dainty blossoms held in loose clusters at the tips of long stalks.
Candelabra primroses produce layers of blossoms along a bloom stalk and look stunning en masse.
Credit: Justin Hancock
Where should you plant them?
What kind of care do they need?
Learn the answer to those questions, and more, in this handy guide.
Credit: W. Garrett Scholes
Where to Plant Primrose
Sunlight and soil requirements for primroses vary depending on the species.
ensure to find out exactly what throw in of primrose you’re planting.
Alpine species typically like more sun but often perform just fine in part shade.
Credit: David McDonald
However, many woodland types quickly wilt when infull sun and need part shadeto flourish.
Primroses provide color and fragrance to a garden or patio.
They are excellent additions to beds, borders, and containers.
Credit: Laurie Black
They are also useful for naturalizing parts of a lawn.
How and When to Plant Primrose
Plant primroses in the spring.
Or, to be sure you get the correct color, buy plants at a nursery.
Credit: Lynn Karlin
In the garden, dig a hole about the same width and depth as the planting container.
Remove the plant and loosen the roots a bit from the root ball before placing in the hole.
Backfill with soil, tamp lightly, and water well.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Set the plants 6 to 12 inches apart to allow for growth and air circulation.
Primrose Care Tips
Primrose is an easy-care plant when grown in the right temperature and sunlight.
Light
Most primrose varieties prefer part shade, but some will thrive in full sun.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
It’s important to research the ideal growing conditions for your plant.
With a diverse group of plants comes the need for various growing conditions.
With the alpine species of primrose,well-drained soilis a must.
Hybrid primrose varieties need lots of water.
Mulch around these plants, but don’t let them get too wet.
Species types can tolerate soggier soil.
Depending on the location, primrose may be more suitable as an annual than a perennial.
They like mild climates and dislike hot and dry summers, which quickly burn them out.
Even if given all their ideal conditions, they perform like an annual in hot weather.
More profuse-blooming varieties, such as double-flowering, need more feeding than others.
Pruning
Deadhead primrosesto allow for new blossoms and to prevent reseeding.
Then, remove dead leaves in the fall to clean them up for the evergreen season.
Take them outside in warmer months and inside for cold winters to help them continue to thrive.
A standard potting mix will work for primroses that are replanted or divided.
Pests and Problems
Common garden pests likeslugs and snailscan damage primrose.
Use a non-toxic slug bait to keep them away.
If spider mites or aphids appear on your plants, spray them with soapy water to wash them off.
If you notice brown spots or yellowing leaves, your plants haveleaf spot.
Remove the infected leaves and create room for better air circulation around the plants.
Plants may develop crown rot or root rot if they have inadequate drainage.
How to Propagate Primrose
Primroses can be propagated by divisions and seed.
Use your hands to gently separate a small section of plant and its roots from the parent plant.
In that case, split the plant into two or more sections, each containing roots and foliage.
Replant the divisions where you want them immediately and water well.
They need light to germinate.
Weigh the second tray down with a rock and set the tray outdoors in a sheltered area.
This arrangement protects the seeds and seedlings from the elements.
Check the trays regularly, never letting the compost dry out.
When the seedlings germinate, remove the top tray permanently.
Germination takes three to six weeks.
Wait until the seedlings have at least four leaves before transplanting them to individual pots.
Their rosettes of 6- to 12-inch-long, spoon-shaped leaves are substantial.
Plants grow 6 to 9 inches tall.
They prefer moist alkaline soil.
They may reach 2 feet tall.
Primrose Companion Plants
Japanese Painted Fern
Japanese painted fernsare washed with silver and burgundy markings.
Lady fern is not quite as showy.
Either will add interest and texture toshady spots.
Foxglove
The tall spires ofa stand of foxgloveadd drama to the garden in early summer.
Most are biennials; they need two years to bloom and then die in the fall.
Iris
Named forthe Greek goddess of the rainbow, iris comes in many colors and heights.
The falls may be “bearded” or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Primroses bloom in spring for eight to 10 weeks if they are deadheaded regularly.
As the blooms age, they darken.
Pinch off the oldest, darkest blooms regularly to encourage reblooming and extend the blooming season.
Even a little sun exposure reduces the bloom period.
With the right care and planting location, primrose plants live and bloom for up to five years.
Each year, they will produce more flowers than the previous year.
For this reason, itworks well as a groundcover.
If you prefer to keep its growth under control, deadhead flowers before they go to seed.
To remove overgrowth, be sure to pull the roots out with the plant.
However, some birds are known to eat primrose seeds.
