Primula marginata (Au) | silver-edged primrose

RHS 1985

Synonyms

Primula marginata form

Alpine Rockery Herbaceous Perennial

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An evergreen perennial to 15cm in height, with rosettes of leathery, grey-green, toothed leaves, white-mealy on the margins. Umbels of fragrant, white-eyed, lavender-blue flowers 3cm in width are borne on mealy stems

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: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or 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): H5

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Primulaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
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: Correct
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: Auricula section primulas are evergreen perennials with leathery, often farinose foliage and simple umbels of salver-shaped flowers which are usually pink, purple or yellow
Plant Range: Europe (Alps)

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained, humus-rich, slightly alkaline soil in full sun with some midday shade or partial shade. Although hardy it is recommended for cultivation in an alpine house in the south of England

Propagation

Propagate by seed, root basal cuttings or take root cuttings when dormant

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Gravel garden
Rock garden
Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, vine weevil, slugs, leaf and bud eelworms and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to a leaf spot and grey moulds