Join the RHS

Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
  • If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.
  • Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.

 
  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Need more criteria? Try an advanced search
Back to search results

Primula japonica (Pf)

Japanese primrose

Sold by 8 nurseries

  • Other common names Japanese primrose

  • Family Primulaceae

  • 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

  • Horticultural Group Proliferae section primulas are moisture-loving herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials forming a rosette of basal leaves, with erect stems each carrying several whorls of salver-shaped flowers

  • Details P. japonica is a deciduous perennial to 45cm tall, with a basal rosette of broad, crinkly light green leaves, and erect stems bearing several whorls of reddish-purple flowers in late spring and early summer

  • Plant range Japan

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • 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)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or East-facing or South-facing or West-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilLoam

  • pHAcid, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Ultimate spread 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in deep moist or moist but well-drained neutral to acid, humus-rich soil in full sun or partial shade

Propagation Propagate by seed. Sow on the surface of the compost as soon as ripe in late winter or early spring. Can be propagated by division between autumn and early spring. Take root cuttings when dormant in winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Cut back after flowering

Pests May be attacked by aphids, vine weevil, slugs, leaf and bud eelworms and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases May suffer from a virus, primula brown core and grey mould

Did you find the information you were looking for?

RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.

Join the RHS now

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.