Primula Species, Cowslip Primrose

On Mar 21, 2018, SunnyBorders from Aurora, ON (Zone 5b) wrote:

I agree with other gardeners (with our sort of climate) who say that cowslips are perhaps the hardiest of the various Primula in the garden. As stated below, clumps (even without division) can be surprisingly long lived.

Also as mentioned below, I'm not aware of our cowslips seeding in the garden.

On Feb 1, 2014, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote:

I was surprised and delighted to find that two cowslips I planted over a decade ago have prospered here in Boston Z6a with little care. They're very showy in bloom. They bloom well, and haven't suffered too badly from the slugs.

They're in dappled shade all day. The soil is a heavy acid silty urban mess, in a raised bed, with some organic amendment, and only watered sporadically during droughts. Though the books recommend frequent division, I have yet to divide either clump after 12 years.

I've never seen a self-sown seedling, but I don't know if that's due to site conditions/climate or to having two plants that can't cross-pollinate.

I was surprised by how well these have done, despite my negligence. They aren't often grown around here.

On Apr 17, 2010, gardeningfun from Harpersfield, OH (Zone 5a) wrote:

Bluestone Nursery sold this to me under the name "Cabrillo". It looks just like this and is a Primula. It is wonderful and so cute. It came up right away in early spring and started blooming last week. The blooms are really opening up now and growing taller each day. They are around 6" tall now. They look real healthy. I couldn't find anything on them under the name "Cabrillo", but when I searched the titsy-tosty sites, I saw this and it looks just like mine. I'll have to take a picture and figure out how to post it.
I live in a very cold, windy site and had tons of snow this winter and it did great.

On Dec 9, 2001, Baa wrote:

A variable, evergreen perennial from Europe.

Has slightly hairy rosettes of oblong-ovate, scalloped or toothed, mid green, wrinkled leaves. Bears drooping, yellow sometimes with orange spots at the base of the lobes, scented, funnel shaped flowers on one side of the flower stem and a light green conspicuous calyx.

The flower colour can vary from light yellow to deep red in cultivated forms.

Flowers April-July.

Likes a well drained, moist, fertile, lime soil in full sun or light shade.

Superb woodland or wild garden plant and will reward you with many seedlings if happy.

Can irritate sensitive skin.

Children used to suck the nectar from the flowers and the scent is a little like cow's b... read morereath (which smells sweet if you were feeling ill at the thought!). This isn't where its most used common name comes from though, its from the Old English Cu-slyppe because they thought it was more abundant in meadows with a lot of cow slops.

Once used as a medicinal (please don't try it) for nervous complaints and palsy (another common name is Palsywort) and in a cosmetic water (see irritation note).