Primula perennial: planting and care at home. Perennial garden primrose: description of species and cultivation

Primula or Primrose (lat. Prímula) is a genus of plants from the Primrose family. The name comes from the Latin word Prímus (first) for very early flowering.

Description of the genus

One of the most numerous genera of plants in the world flora. According to various authors, there are from 400 to 550 species of these plants in nature. Moreover, scientists are still discovering new types of primroses. Most of them (about 300 species) grow in Asia, the Himalayas and western China. Only 33 species grow in Europe, and in North America- 20 types. Only a few species are found in Africa, South America, in Arabia and one species (imperial primrose - Primula imperialis) - on the island of Java.

A lot of primroses in nature grow in humid places - along the banks of mountain streams and streams, in wet meadows. For example, Florinda primrose can be found in Tibet, near watercourses at an altitude of about 4000 m, and fine-toothed primrose can be found in the alpine meadows of the Himalayas at an altitude of 2300-4300 m. rocks, between stones, rising to a height of over 2000 m. Wet meadows, banks of streams and streams are favorite places for the beautiful primrose Bulley, which grows in China at an altitude of about 3000 m. In mountain valleys Kuril Islands and Japan inhabited by Japanese primrose. As you can see, baby primroses live and thrive in such harsh conditions, where others, big plants cannot grow.

Mountains are a kind of pedestal that raises primroses high above other plants. Some of them grow near snowfields, in very specific ecological conditions.

Representatives of the genus Primrose are perennial and annual herbs. Flowers five-membered, correct form, come in different colors: white, yellow, pink, lilac. The leaves form a basal rosette. The fruit is a box.

Kinds

Primula vulgaris or stemless (Рrimula vulgaris or Рrimula acaulis). It grows in the Carpathians, Crimea, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, in the European part of Russia, in Western Europe(from Portugal, Spain and Italy in the south to Norway in the north), in northern Africa (Algeria), in the Middle East, in Asia Minor and Central Asia. The plant can be found on the edges of the deciduous forests of the south, as well as in alpine meadows and near melting snowfields.

The rhizome of the common primrose is short, with big amount brown, thickened cord-like roots. The leaves are lanceolate, 5-25 cm long, 2-6 cm wide. Part of the leaves is preserved in winter. Flowers 2-4 cm in diameter, light yellow, rarely white with a purple throat, solitary, on peduncles 6-20 cm high. Petals are wide, divided into two lobes. Seed pod ovoid, shorter than sepals.

Despite such a simple name, common primrose is very beautiful during abundant flowering, when the foliage is completely covered with flowers, and the bush seems to be a small bouquet consisting of hundreds of flowers. Usually flowering begins in the first half of April and lasts about three weeks. Sometimes, depending on the weather, it blooms in March. Often re-blooms sparsely in September.

Primula cold(Primula algida). Grows in the Caucasus, Altai, in Central Asia(Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai), in Western Siberia and Northern Mongolia. An integral component of alpine meadows.

The leaves are oblong or oblong-scapular, gradually turning into a short, wide-winged petiole, collected in a basal rosette up to 15 cm in diameter. Peduncles thin up to 30 cm tall. The flowers are small, pink-violet up to 1.5 cm in diameter, collected 6-12 in an umbellate inflorescence.

Primrose large-calyx(Primula macrocalyx). It grows in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in the south of the Urals, in the south of Western Siberia. Grows in dry meadows, forest edges and clearings.

The rhizome is oblique with abundant cord-like lobes. All leaves are basal, ovate-oblong, gradually narrowed into a winged serrated petiole, greyish fluffy below, almost entire. The flowers are yellow, medium-sized (corolla limb 10 mm long), collected in an umbrella, on legs of unequal length and drooping in one direction. The calyx is usually slightly swollen, even during flowering.

snow primrose(Primula nivalis). It grows in Altai, in the south and southwest of Eastern Siberia, in the northeast of China, in Korea and Japan.

Perennial plant up to 20 cm tall. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, narrowed into a winged petiole, serrated along the edge. The flowers are pink-purple up to 1 cm in diameter, collected 8-10 in umbellate inflorescences.

Primula lovely(Primula amoena Bieb). It grows in the Caucasus and Turkey in the mountains (at an altitude of 1000-4000 m), often near snowfields, on nutritious soils among rhododendrons.

Looks like a high primrose. More different from her narrow leaves with gray-felt pubescence on the underside of the leaf blade and purple flowers. The leaves are oval, elliptical, 2.5-7 cm long, with a rounded top. Their edges are finely unevenly serrated. The petiole of the leaf reaches 7 cm. The flower arrow is 15-18 cm high. The flowers of 6-10 pieces are collected in a one-sided umbellate inflorescence. They are violet-blue or lavender-blue, sometimes with a pink tint, rarely white with a yellow eye. The diameter of the flowers is 2-2.5 cm.

Primula finely toothed(Primula denticulata Smith). It grows in Western China, the Himalayas. Attracts attention with unusual dense spherical inflorescences, towering over a rosette of large elongated light green leaves. The flowers are white, lilac, purple with shades. Often blooms in a leafless state. At the beginning of flowering, the peduncles are short - no more than 2-3 cm. They seem to be pressed to the ground, afraid of the return of cold weather. By the middle of flowering, the inflorescence-balls are at a height of 20-25 cm, and by the time the seeds ripen, they stretch up to 30-50 cm! The same thing happens with leaves. They begin to unfold at the beginning of flowering, and at this time their length is 5-7 cm, by the middle of flowering - already 20 cm, and after flowering in favorable conditions- 30-40 cm. The whole plant, especially flower stalks, is covered with powdery yellowish bloom.

Legends and traditions

Pretty primrose (Рrimula amoena Bieb) in the Dukka valley (Arkhyz, Western Caucasus). Photo by A. Zharov

Primula was known in ancient times and was considered the medicinal flower of Olympus: it was called the dodecatheon (flower of 12 gods) and they believed that it was a cure for all ailments. One of the first spring flowers, the primrose looks like a bunch of golden keys; according to the Old Norse sagas, these are the keys of the fertility goddess Freya, with which she opens the spring. According to another legend, these are sprouted keys to paradise, which St. Peter dropped to the ground. In some areas of Germany, these are the keys of marriage; even in the days of the Celts and Gauls, primrose was part of the love drink.

According to Danish legends, the elves turned their princess into a primrose when she fell in love with a mere mortal. According to ancient Greek legend, the primrose arose from the body of the young man Paralysos, who died of love, whom the gods, out of compassion, turned into a fragrant flower; therefore it was believed to cure paralysis, and in medicine it was until recently called the paralytic herb.

The miraculous power of the primrose covered many areas: in Piedmont it was believed that it protects from devilish obsessions, drives away demons, makes innocent bones crawl out of the ground dead people; in Germany, he was credited with the magical property of gap-grass - to open treasures; in Little Russia it was a talisman protecting life; in England it was a magical flower in which tiny fairies and gnomes live. It is the primrose in Switzerland that is considered a symbol of happiness, an emblem of love for the motherland.

Primula, or Primrose ( lat. Primula) - a genus of plants from the family Primroses (Primulaceae).

The name of the plant comes from the Latin word "primus" (first) and is explained by the fact that many types of primrose bloom in early spring, one of the first, sometimes even before the snow completely melts. From here also comes Russian name- primrose.

primroses- perennial, rarely biennial and annual herbaceous plants. The leaves are entire, wrinkled, covered with hairs, forming a basal rosette. The flowers are five-membered, regular in shape, of various colors and shades, solitary or collected in racemose or umbellate inflorescences at the ends of leafless stems. The fruit is a box.

Most of the species are flowering low herbs.

The ancient Greeks believed that the primrose contained a healing agent against all diseases. The leaves of primrose (primrose) contain a large amount of carotene and vitamin C, a lot of carbohydrates, glycosides, essential oils, organic acids. Therefore, decoctions of this plant are taken for rheumatism and headaches, they treat bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough. The root of primrose (primrose) has a weak diuretic and diaphoretic effect, enhances the secretion of the stomach, activates the metabolism.

In Germany, dried primrose flowers (primrose) are brewed and drunk as tea to strengthen the nervous system. The English eat the young leaves of the primrose (primrose) as a salad, the roots are used as a spice and as a medicine for tuberculosis patients. In the Caucasus, soups and cabbage soup are prepared from primrose (primrose) in early spring. Spring primrose leaves are harvested at the beginning of flowering and added to salads.

In the old days, decoctions from the roots were treated for consumption and feverish conditions. Soothing teas, ointments against eczema were prepared from leaves and flowers.

Different kinds primroses produce nectar, but because of the long flower tube, honey bees collect it in small quantities.

In nature, more than 500 species of primrose are known.

Primrose species

. It grows in the European part of Russia (mainly in the southern regions), in the Caucasus and southern Siberia. The roots of both species contain saponins, essential oils, glycosides and are used as an expectorant. Good honey plants. A number of species are used in indoor floriculture. Indoor primroses bloom throughout the winter and spring.

Primula (primrose) stemless , or common (Primula acaulis or Primula vulgaris) characterized by oblong leaves with a wrinkled surface. It has a large number of hybrids, the flowers of which are located on low stems and usually with an "eye". Large white, yellow, red or blue flowers located in the center of the rosette of leaves. After flowering, stemless primrose can be planted in open ground.

Primula (primrose) spring , or medicinal (Primula veris) . Early spring plant 10-30 cm tall, with wrinkled leaves and bright yellow flowers; grows almost throughout the European part of Russia in dry glades, edges, shrubs, light forests. It is popularly called rams or keys. forest edges middle lane Russia is literally golden from its drooping bell flowers.

. Differs in lobed leaves with a jagged edge, large (2.5-4 cm in diameter) flowers of various colors with a yellow center and wavy petals. After flowering, the plant can be left for the next season. To do this, it is kept all summer in a cool, ventilated place, moderately watered. In autumn, cut off yellowed leaves and increase watering.

Primrose (primrose) kyusskaya (Primula kewensis) . Synonym: Primula floribunda, Primula verticillata . blooms yellow flowers. Beautiful fragrant flowers 1 cm in diameter rise on peduncles up to 30 cm tall. Leaves with a serrated edge, covered with powdery coating.

. The plant is native to South China. An annual herbaceous rosette plant up to 40 cm high. The leaves are heart-shaped, elliptical or oval-elliptical, serrated along the edge, up to 17 cm in diameter, on long (up to 8 cm) petioles. Leafless peduncles (there are usually several of them on a plant) bear flowers collected in 5-20-flowered whorls. Whorls are usually located on the peduncle "floor by floor". There can be from 3 to 6 such floors. Flowers of a general structure for primroses (primroses), limb up to 1 cm in diameter, white, pink or red, with a yellow spot in the throat. Blooms in January - February.

. The plant is native to China. Perennial herbaceous plant up to 60 cm high. Leaves up to 10 cm in diameter, in a basal rosette, rounded and oval-elliptical with a heart-shaped base, on long (up to 10 cm) petioles, pubescent with short hairs containing a volatile substance - primin, causing some people are allergic. The flowers are collected in umbellate inflorescences on a leafless peduncle up to 25 cm high. A flower of a structure typical of primroses, limb up to 2.5 cm in diameter. There are many varieties with white, pink, blue, purple and dark red flowers. Varieties with a low content of primin or completely devoid of it have been bred.

. Used in horticulture ornamental plant. It belongs to the section of tiered, or candelabra primroses (Proliferae, Candelabra). Homeland - Japan, the island of Kunashir. Plant height is about 10 cm. Leaves are oblong-spatulate, coarsely serrated, up to 25 cm long. Inflorescence is an umbrella. The flowers are crimson, up to 2 cm in diameter, collected in multi-tiered whorls, on a 30 - 50 cm peduncle. Perianth actinomorphic, interpetal. Petals - 5. The fruit is a box. Seeds are small, black.

Primrose (primrose) finely toothed (Primula denticulata) . Synonyms: Primula dentata, primrose finely dentate, primrose dentate. Names in other languages: English. drumstick primula, germ. Kugelprimel, fr. primevere sphere. The homeland of the plant is the Himalayas, the mountains of Southeast Asia and Afghanistan, China (Sichuan, Yunnan) and Indochina (Burma), the Indian subcontinent (India - Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh; Sikkim, Nepal, Pakistan).

The plant reaches 30 cm in height and in diameter. The leaves are wide, oblong-oval, serrated at the edges, wrinkled, after flowering reach 20-40 cm in length. Flowers come in various colors, more often lilac, purple, red, white are also found; up to 1.5 cm in diameter. Collected in a dense spherical inflorescence up to 10 cm in diameter. Peduncles are thick, with powdery coating, 10-20 cm high, then stretch and can reach 60 cm in height. Small-toothed primrose blooms in April-May, flowering duration is 30-40 days.

This type of primrose is widely used in gardens and parks as a border plant, as well as in flower beds, in groups on lawns, on alpine slides. Prefers fertile, well-drained soils. Likes partial shade and abundant watering. The plant is propagated by seeds, division and root cuttings.

Lighting. It is necessary to place primroses on bright window cool room. The room is well ventilated. The plant requires a lot of bright light, but should be shaded from direct sunlight. The windows on the west and east sides are ideal. Normally tolerates penumbra, can grow on the northern window.

Temperature. Primroses need a moderate air temperature, during flowering no higher than 12-16 ° C (in such conditions, the flowers last longer). Primroses bloom well in unheated greenhouses or between window frames.

Watering. Watering is moderate, plentiful during flowering (it is necessary to maintain uniform soil moisture, but without stagnant water), with soft settled water as the top layer of the substrate dries up. When watering, do not wet the leaves. Especially should be protected from water medium, just starting to develop leaves. From the above it follows that it is best to use the bottom watering.

Fertilizer. Primrose responds well to liquid feeding with a solution of bird droppings in small concentrations and doses. The plant is fed in June and at the end of August, the first time - with organic fertilizer, the second - with ammonium nitrate (1-1.5 g per 1 liter of water).

Growing features. Peduncles with faded flowers pluck, remove also yellow leaves.

The soil. The soil for primroses is not very nutritious, humus (pH about 6). A mixture of humus, hardwood, sod land (1 part each) and sand or compost (3 parts), peat and sand (1 part each).

The best for soft-leaved primrose is loose, nutritious and moisture-intensive land. The nutrient mixture is prepared from turf (1 part), hardwood (2 parts) and sand (1 part). Requires slightly acidic soil, so coniferous soil (1 part) must be added to the mixture.

Landing. Seeds of reverse conical primrose are sown in April - May in bowls or boxes on the surface of sandy-deciduous soil. 0.5 g of seeds are sown in one box. Watered from a spray bottle. Crops are covered with glass and placed on windowsills, shading seedlings from the sun's rays. The temperature is maintained within 18-20°C. Seedlings appear after 10 days. Small seedlings dive twice, and then planted in 9 cm pots of 2-3 plants. The nutrient mixture is prepared from hardwood, greenhouse land (2 parts each) and sand (1 part). As the plants develop, they are transferred 2-3 times into large pots.

You can grow primrose seedlings without transshipment, planting them immediately in 13-centimeter pots of 2-3 plants, adding dry cow dung to the soil mixture. With this method of cultivation, the primrose blooms in six months.

Reproduction. Primroses are propagated by seeds (although this is a rather complicated process), by dividing old bushes, and by rooting axillary shoots.

Seeds. The soft-leaved primrose is propagated by seeds that are formed in large quantities after artificial pollination flowers. Seeds are sown in June-July in bowls or boxes. A month later, the seedlings dive into bowls or containers with a feeding area of ​​​​3 × 4 cm, after a month they can be transplanted even less often (8 × 8 cm). In October, they are planted in 11-13 cm pots. Plants bloom six months after sowing. During flowering, the temperature in the room should be 10-12 ° C. In the autumn-winter period, it is reduced to 8-10°C.

The division of the bush. Primroses are also propagated by dividing the bush. After flowering in May, they can be placed in shady places for forced rest. Plants are watered so that they do not dry out. When the stems begin to grow, the bushes are divided into several parts and planted in boxes in a loose nutrient soil. When planting, the plants are not buried - the outlet should be at the level of the soil. For better rooting, the box is covered with glass and placed on a well-lit window. Then the plants are transplanted into 9 cm pots, and a month later - into 13 cm.

During growth, every 10-12 days, the plants are fed with a weak solution (2 g per 10 liters of water) of mineral fertilizers. Cut off old leaves.

Plants with one rosette of leaves and a very weak root system, in which it is difficult to divide the bush, are propagated by rooting axillary shoots. At the base of the root collar, the petiole of the leaf with the bud is separated (the leaf blades are shortened by half) and part of the shoot, rooted in a coarse-grained river sand, poured with a layer of 2 cm on a substrate of peat or hardwood. The cuttings are planted obliquely, with a kidney to the top to a depth of 1 cm.

For rooting, the cuttings need a bright room, a temperature of 16-18 ° C, moderate wetting of the sand, spraying. After three months, shoots with 3-4 leaves develop from the buds, which are planted in 7-9 cm pots. The earth mixture is prepared from 4 parts of hardwood, 2 parts of humus earth and 1 part of sand.

Blooms in 5-6 months.

Precautionary measures

When caring for primrose, people with sensitive skin should not touch the leaves, as this sometimes causes irritation or even inflammation of the skin on the hands. In children, the leaves of this plant cause irritation and even a small rash.

Possible difficulties

If too wet affected by gray mold.

At too high a temperature, dry air, stagnant moisture, as well as when watering with hard water and top dressing with highly concentrated fertilizers Leaves turn yellow and roots turn brown.

When the air is too dry and hot, fast fading of flowers.

Damaged

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general characteristics . The name of the genus from "primus" - a diminutive of the Greek "prima" - the first, early, is given for the early flowering of many species widespread in culture.

FAMILY	Primroses - Primulaceae Vent.

Perennial or monocarpic rhizomatous perennial herbaceous plants. Rhizomes are short, branching, with remnants of leaf bases above. The leaves are all basal, collected in a rosette, simple, entire, serrated or lobed, often fleshy, many species with a waxy white powdery coating, petiolate or sessile. Flowers collected on a leafless flower arrow in apical umbels, simple brushes or spaced whorls, forming candelabra inflorescences and wrappers surrounded by linear leaves, sometimes single flowers, on axillary basal pedicels, without bracts, with an undeveloped arrow. Flowers bisexual, five-membered. Calyx tubular, bell-shaped or funnel-shaped, often angular or ribbed, five-lobed, remaining. The corolla tube is longer than the calyx, more or less long, cylindrical, somewhat widened in the upper part. The limb is symmetrical, flat or somewhat concave, sometimes slightly curved, with imbricate overlapping edges, entire or bipartite lobes. Zev naked or with appendages in the form of scales. The flowers are heterogeneous: in most plants of the same species, the stamens are attached near the pharynx and the style is short; in some plants, the stamens are attached near the middle of the corolla tube and the style is long, filiform. The stigma is capitate. Stamens 5, opposite the corolla lobes. Ovary superior, unilocular. The fruit is a capsule of various shapes, from cylindrical to spherical, enclosed in the remaining calyx or exceeding it in size, when ripe, it splits at the top with five or ten valves or opens asymmetrically. Seeds numerous, small, irregularly spherical, dark brown.

400 species. Cold, temperate and subtropical zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Centers species diversity are the Himalayas, the mountains of Southwestern China and Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Alps.

Cultural history and degree of distribution . In culture since the end of the 16th century, but most of the species were introduced in the 19th century. About 150 species are used in ornamental gardening, 15 of which are hybrids. Primrose has long been widespread in many European countries, and this, in particular, is evidenced by its various affectionate everyday names. The primrose enjoyed special love in England. It is known that even in tropical colonies, the British always planted modest primroses next to luxurious local flowers. In Russia, it was known even under Catherine and was grown in court greenhouses. In general, the popularity of this genus in Europe peaked at the beginning of the 19th century, when many exotic Asian species were introduced that could be grown in the open field. Then this culture seriously competed with carnations and roses in many countries. Currently, many species are also quite widespread and have many highly decorative varieties.

Growing Features . Requirements for growing conditions and care largely depend on the type of this large and extremely variable genus. Primrose species suitable for outdoor cultivation in the temperate zone are quite unpretentious, hardy and often live in nature in harsh high mountain conditions. Most of these ornamental species bloom in the spring, often immediately after the snow melts, but a number are characterized by summer flowering. Most species are moderately photophilous, especially with sufficient moisture, but all are more or less shade-tolerant, often prefer light partial shade, some grow in the shade. In general, the recommended species are not very suitable for growing in hot climates. Areas with direct sunlight should be avoided and plants, especially tall ones, should be protected from the wind. Moisture-loving, but most species cannot tolerate prolonged waterlogging and die from moisture stagnation on heavy soils, especially when snow melts in early spring or late autumn. Alpine species are especially demanding on the quality of drainage. There is a whole group of "marsh" primroses that easily tolerate not only waterlogging, but also waterlogging, some can even grow in coastal zone reservoir. in hot and dry summer regular and plentiful watering should be ensured. It should be borne in mind that in most species, after the flowering of the maternal shoot, renewal buds form at its base, which during the growing season form a daughter rosette of leaves with a bulbous shape. flower bud inside and the rudiments of their daughter buds. Young adventitious roots extend from the base of new leaves, and the rhizome grows upwards. Since these roots form above the soil surface, plants need to provide sufficient moisture, which is especially important in spring, as well as shading from direct sunlight and annual sprinkling to the base of rosettes of fertile soil. Plants are divided and transplanted once every 3-4 years, as the bushes grow rapidly. If primroses are not rejuvenated, then most species thicken, bloom poorly and soon freeze out even under favorable conditions, since the rhizome with the bulk of the roots is mainly on the surface of the earth. Primroses from the ear section (Auricula) live in one place without a transplant for many years. The genus is not picky about fertility, can grow on ordinary garden soils, but for luxurious and long flowering should be grown on well-fertilized, loose, moisture-intensive, but well-drained, organic-rich soils. Usually they use soddy soil, leaf humus, peat chips. Plants should be fed in spring organic fertilizers. For primroses from the ear section, when grown on a rocky hill or in pots, the optimal soil mixture is a compost of two parts loose loam, one part well-decomposed leaf humus or peat, one part coarse sand, and one part draining material, e.g. broken brick or pieces of old flower pots. Very small species require special care, in particular, they must be planted in a vertical gap between two hill stones or drywall slabs. Good drainage is vital for them. Most of the recommended species are winter-hardy without shelter. A well-developed leaf rosette serves as a natural shelter for the winter, as the leaves remain green under the snow until almost spring. Some heat-loving species require preventive shelter. It is recommended to use only a cover with dry leaves up to 10 cm thick and be sure to remove it in the spring early enough to prevent damping.

Reproduction methods . Seeds, dividing the bush, less often cuttings. The most common method is the division of the bush, which is best done in the spring, after flowering or, if necessary, in late August or early September. Species and almost all varieties of primrose can be propagated by seeds. Seeds quickly lose their germination capacity, so they are sown in the year of harvest on ridges in open ground or in boxes, which are also taken out to a shady place outside for the winter, since the seeds need freezing for germination. When 1-2 true leaves appear, they dive and grow, covering about 10 cm with a layer of dry foliage for the winter. permanent place planted in the spring or autumn of the second year. Some species, such as ear primrose, are propagated by cuttings or small rosettes of leaves, which are rooted in cold greenhouses or on ridges with a mandatory shade.

Usage . Highly decorative, profusely and continuously flowering, perennial herbaceous plants with dense rosettes of ornamental leaves that form dense growing turfs, and numerous leafless peduncles bearing bright flowers collected in beautiful inflorescences of various shapes. They look best when planted in arrays or groups between shrubs and trees or on the banks of water bodies, as well as in borders or in the foreground of rabatok, in addition, many species are used on rocky hills, and are also planted in vases, containers, balcony boxes. Tall species look spectacular in the cut. Compact profusely flowering species and varieties look great and feel good in wide and small ceramic pots, which, if desired, can be used to extend the flowering period in rooms in the fall.

decorative types .

The taxonomy of this large and widespread genus has attracted much attention from botanists for many decades. Even Pax in 1905 combined all the species known at that time into 21 sections and grouped them according to their probable origin. Currently, 30 sections are distinguished, uniting closely related species. Some sections contain a large number of species, others are very small, some sections contain species of no interest to horticulture, others contain species that are extremely ornamental but rather capricious when grown outdoors, still others are grown only in greenhouses or conservatories and bloom in winter or early in spring, as well, there are sections containing a large number of ornamental and unpretentious species suitable for growing in temperate climates. The most valuable from a decorative point of view when grown in open ground are the sections Auricula (Auricles), Candelabra (Longline), Cortusoides (Cortusoid), Denticulata (Fine-toothed), Sikkimensis (Sikkimese) and Vernales (Spring). In addition, representatives of the sections Capitatae (Capital), Cuneifolia (Cuneifolia), Farinosae (Powdery), Bullatae (Wrinkled) and Parryi (Parry) are used. Species from the section Nivalis (Snow) with rare exceptions listed below are unstable in culture due to very high requirements for the quality of drainage.

Decorative varieties .

The golden key to the realm of greenery. This characterization was primrose from our ancestors. The Slavs noticed that the plant is one of the first to appear from under the snow. Shows the way to the rest and the spring, people used to say.

With gold, they were compared due to the yellow color of the buds. They are collected in inflorescences-umbrellas, resembling ligaments of prickly. We will select those that are needed for a successful growing primrose.

Primrose Features

primrose flower assigned to the Primrose family. This is reflected in the name of the plant. latin word primus translates as "first". Hence the familiar concept of prima.

The "first violin" among the forest appears even before the snow melts. First, the leaves break through. They are whole, wrinkled, covered with fluff. This greenery is called lambs, for its resemblance to the backs of young lambs.

The leaves of primrose depart from the root, collected in a rosette. There are stems, but they are bare. Buds bloom at the ends of the shoots. They are not always collected in inflorescences. There are varieties with single buds. Their shape is correct, the petals fused at the base along the edges are divided into 5 members.

Primrose home, as well as wild species, low. The plants of the genus are herbs. They are compact, most do not even reach 30 centimeters. , at the same time, they are a lot bright, cover the greens with a voluminous “cap”.

Add to this the brightness of the buds and get the formula for success with flower growers. Suitable for them primrose perennial. Although, there are annuals in the genus, as well as herbs with a two-year development cycle.

Primrose room, or garden, can become not only a decoration of space, but a home doctor. In Germany, for example, the buds of the plant are added to teas. It strengthens nervous system, soothes.

primrose oil, obtained from rhizomes and foliage - one of the means of combating tuberculosis. Primrose in capsules and in the form of an ointment is prescribed for eczema.

The herb also has nutritional value. Young leaves are added to salads. In the Caucasus, greens are also used for soups, for example, cabbage soup. A spice is made from the roots. Recipes have been known since ancient Greece. It was there that the primrose began to be bred as a house plant.

The Greeks attributed the primrose magical properties, included in the composition of love drinks. The Celts, the ancestors of the Germans, also associated grass with the sensual side of life. The girl who finds the first primrose shoot in the spring will get married within a year. This belief exists in Germany to this day.

The primrose can provide a sweet life not only in terms of feelings. The buds secrete nectar. It makes excellent honey. True, it is difficult to get it. Pancake and narrow "legs".

They contain the syrup. Bees do not always manage to get to it. The situation would change with the planting of artificially cultivated species in nature. Among them there are samples with rather open buds.

Primrose species

Open wide Chinese primrose. A photo plants show buds with a yellow core and orange margins. The petals are wavy.

The lobed shape of the leaves is also remarkable. They are large, about 4 centimeters in diameter. The edges of the foliage are serrated. chinese look- a two-year-old, so it starts up more often in gardens than apartments.

There is another Chinese primrose at home which is rarely found. The reason is no longer in a short existence. The plant is perennial. The obverse-conical appearance has a margin on the leaves. The hairs secrete primin.

This volatile substance can cause allergies. This scares off flower growers. Otherwise, the Reverse Conical Primrose is good. The bush is compact in breadth, while tall - about 50 centimeters. The mass of buds is collected in inflorescences-umbrellas.

Coloring is white, purple, pink, red. Possible cultivation primrose from seed. Recently, several varieties have been bred with a reduced content of primin and without it at all. So, you can stop being afraid of the Reverse-Conical species and start planting it in pots.

In indoor floriculture, some of the varieties of Large-cup primrose. Reviews about her focus on the pleasant aroma of buds and long flowering.

It lasts all winter and spring. Wild representatives of the species are found in the Caucasus and southern Siberia. I use grass with bright yellow buds not only as decoration, but also as an expectorant.

Medicinal perennials include evening primrose. In Europe, it has been bred since the 18th century. Prior to this, the plant was known only at home - in North America. Evening grass was nicknamed because of its characteristics. The buds open at dusk.

Fading, the plant forms fruits in the form of boxes. The seeds are hidden in them, from which they receive primrose oil. Reviews scientists about it are as follows: the ether contains gamma-linolenic acid. It slows down the aging process, prevents heart disease, cancer, arthritis and asthma.

evening primrose, reviews of which "explode" the Internet, becomes for many flower growers both an ornament and houses, and a means of earning. In warm regions, the plant, or rather its seeds, is grown for sale. This cannot be said about the stemless species.

It is considered purely decorative. The perennial consists of several rosettes of foliage. From the center of each rises a peduncle with one bud. Its petals can be blue, white, yellow. The grass is undersized, dense, compact, reminiscent of a violet in terms of “configuration”.

Primrose care at home

Being a primrose primrose, care for which it is discussed, does not like the heat. The plant needs spring coolness. Therefore, potted specimens are placed between window frames, taken out to verandas, placed in unheated rooms.

This is especially important during the flowering period. At temperatures above 16 degrees, its duration is reduced, fewer buds are formed.

Primula, buy which is decided will require frequent ventilation and plenty of light. Direct beams are not recommended. Light must be diffused.

Watering should be grassroots, that is, not touching the leaves. Moisture is directed directly to the roots, after drying the top layer of the substrate in which it grows primrose.

Landing carried out in medium nutrient soil. The mixture is made up of humus, turf, sand and compost. You can add some peat.

During the feeding will not interfere. The best solution is bird droppings. The second time the land is fertilized at the end of summer. This time, we need not organics, but ammonium nitrate. One gram is diluted per liter of water.

Primrose price

Landing, care for - the second thing. First, you need to buy seeds, sprouts, or a bush in a pot. All options are available. Samples in flowerpots with a soil substrate cost from 150 rubles.

For plants with buds they ask from 200. Some varieties will cost 350-500 rubles. An extra charge is made for decorativeness, the rarity of the species and the absence of primin in the roots, stems, buds.

The range of prices for primrose seeds is large. There are packages for 15 rubles, and there are also for 90. It all depends on the volume of packs, the manufacturer, trade markup and, again, the type of grass. By the way, Catherine the Great herself loved her.

The Empress collected not only flowers, but also Saxon porcelain with primroses painted on it. Under the dishes, they even allocated a separate room of the palace. The services have been preserved, but they cannot be bought. Porcelain transferred to the museums.

Primroses are widely known among flower growers due to their brightness, decorativeness and the possibility of using them both in the garden area and among indoor flowers. Mostly undersized primroses are popular, which look elegant in flower beds, lawns, and in alpine hills.

Appearance

This flower is a primrose. It is this word that can express the characteristics of a herbaceous plant. After all, the flowering period falls on winter - spring. The flower can be a perennial, biennial or even annual herbaceous plant.. Hairy green leaves. The flowering of the plant is quite long, various colors. This plant has small flower, its diameter is only from 1.5 to 4 cm, depending on the variety, it can be either single or collected in inflorescences. The fruit of a herbaceous plant in the form of a box.

Primrose is both garden and home. At the same time, a beautifully flowering primrose growing in the garden can easily be made indoor, and its home species cannot always become garden ones.

Varieties

Acquainted for the first time with this primrose, the varieties of its shapes and colors are striking. Primroses are distinguished by the flowering period, which appear both immediately after the snow cover melts, and only by the middle of summer. Currently, there are about 500 species of this primrose. Primrose varieties:

Features of cultivation and reproduction

A flower growing in the garden and at home does not deliver in care special trouble amateur florist. In open ground, primrose grows well in fertile soils. But it is important to know that the soil, highly manured, acidic, will not work for a herbaceous plant, in such conditions it is weakened and can get sick. After the flowering period, it is necessary to remove the dried flower stalks and remove the yellowed leaves. If you want to dilute the primrose, then you can use the following methods.

Types of reproduction of primrose:

1. the first way is dividing the bush. This type of reproduction for primrose is the most preferable. It must be carried out in adult primroses (3-4 years). Before preparing to divide the bush early flowering plant it must be carefully shed with water, then it should be dug up and carefully separated. In this case, it must be borne in mind that on each part of the primrose there should be a root lobe with a pair of leaves. And planted in prepared soil.
2. the second way - propagation by seeds is carried out in late autumn, and the flowering period of this primrose will have only 2 years after sowing. Seeds can be purchased at specialized stalls, they are small and often, after opening a bag, they can be confused with particles of earth. First you need to prepare a container for sowing with sandy-deciduous soil, sow on top of the soil, without sprinkling seeds with anything. The prepared container should be covered with a film and the crops should be protected from sunlight. Already after 3 weeks, you can observe the appearance of the first shoots.

Primrose fertilizer

Primrose does not need constant feeding, it is enough just to properly prepare the soil before planting. Soil preparation:

1. loosen thoroughly.
2. add organic - peat, compost, manure, which has already been rotted - about 2 buckets per 1 m2 of land.
3. fertilize mineral mixtures about 200 g per 1 m2. With such soil preparation, it is not necessary to apply fertilizers for a flower up to 4 years.

Lighting and temperature for primrose

This flower loves bright enough light, but so that there are no direct rays of the sun, partial shade and shade will be comfortable for the primrose. For indoor primroses, windows on the western and eastern sides can be perfect. During the period when the flowering of the plant begins, it needs a temperature of 12 to 16 C, so this time for the primrose will last longer.

Watering

During flowering, the plant needs abundant watering, but be sure to watch that there is no stagnation. In normal periods, watering should be after the top of the soil has dried. Irrigation is carried out with settled water room temperature. Also, during watering, you should try not to wet the leaves in order to avoid their defeat.

Distillation

Thanks to this method, the primrose can be made to bloom in room conditions. As a rule, 2-year-old seedlings are used for forcing primrose. On the eve of the first frosts, the primrose must be dug out from the garden area with a large earthen clod and brought into basement by planting in a box or pot.

The optimum temperature for primrose will be from 4 to 8 C during this period.. You don't need to water it. By the end of January, our plant should be brought home and watered. After active growth, the primrose should bloom, this will happen approximately by the beginning of March or a little earlier. When the primrose fades, it is again planted on garden plot. This bush for re-forcing is used only after 2 years.

Diseases and pests that appear in primrose

Primrose is subject to a variety of diseases and pests. Diseases and pests affecting primrose:

• aphid, spider mite, whitefly. When these pests appear, the plant is treated with insecticides.
• if the conditions in the room are not suitable for primrose, then the root system begins to rot. This is manifested by dried leaves, falling buds, flowers. It is also possible the appearance of brownish spots on the leaves. A primrose that is planted in a garden area can become infected with diseases from neighboring flowers. Such as:
• powdery mildew. A whitish plaque forms on the leaves - late blight. There is a rotting of the root system - stem, root rot. Signs of this disease are yellowed leaves, and then the whole plant turns yellow.
• gray rot. Large watery spots appear on the base of the leaves. If this happens, then it is necessary to carry out treatment, if treatment is no longer possible, then remove the primrose.

Primrose flower: photos in the garden and at home

Primrose flowers are a magnificent decoration of alpine slides, as well as artificial reservoirs; this beautifully flowering plant will also look good indoors. Depending on the species, the same flower can be grown on garden areas, and at home. In addition, this beautiful primrose is not very demanding on care, and will not cause incredible trouble to its owner. Deciding to acquire this beautiful person, the primrose will give a lot of pleasant emotions from the incredible beauty and delicate aroma of a wonderful primrose.