Primula obconica 'Libre Magenta' (Ob) | German primrose 'Libre Magenta'

RHS 1998

Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants Herbaceous Perennial

'Libre Magenta' is a short-lived perennial to 20cm in height with light green, rounded leaves and clusters of vivid cerise-red flowers 4.5cm across, with greenish eyes

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1–2 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Primulaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: CAUTION skin allergen. Wear gloves or other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Primula are herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials, forming a basal rosette of simple leaves, with salver-shaped or bell-shaped flowers which may be solitary or carried in an umbel or in whorls on an erect stem
Name Status: Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Obconicolisteri primulas have rosettes of coarsely-textured green foliage, thick stalks and produce umbels of inverted, cone-shaped lavender-pink flowers in late winter to early spring

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a cool or temperate greenhouse or as a houseplant. Position in bright filtered light. In growth water freely

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division in autumn and early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, vine weevils, slugs and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to primula brown core and grey moulds