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Julian
Hybrids
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There are
many garden species of Primula, almost all from Eurasia,
but only a few are seen commonly in the United States.
Most species need moist, rich soil, and want a cool
location with light shade. Survival of plants in areas
with very hot summers probably depends largely on picking
the right microclimate. We think winter hardiness has
been much underestimated; in our experience it is
windburning and frost-heaving rather than cold that is
damaging. Planting in a sheltered site and putting on a
protective light covering of dead leaves or pine boughs
in early winter will prevent this. Among the most satisfactory of the primulas in
the eastern US are those of the group Vernales and their
hybrids. The wild forms include the cowslip, oxlip, and
true primrose, all beloved wildflowers of Europe and
familiar to us in folk tales and Shakespeare. The very
earliest of these species and their horticultural
selections and hybrids begin to bloom in earnest for us
in early March, but there are always a few flowers open
from November through the winter.
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Primula veris, the
Cowslip, is the most commonly seen wild Vernales
type. It is easily grown, but it is the least
showy of the group. It is an ancestor of the
polyantha forms that have become widely used as
bedding plants and potted plants for indoor use. |
| Primula vulgaris
is more familiar as the garden and pot plant
selections sold as Primula "acaulis"
and available in a wide range of color from
yellow and pink to blue and purple. These
selections have resulted from crosses with the
pink-purple subspecies P. v. sibthorpii from Asia
Minor. |
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| Primula elatior,
the Oxlip, is a much less familiar garden plant.
Plants sold under this name in the United States
are almost always larger, darker yellow flowered
hybrids between Primula veris and P. vulgaris. P.
elatior is less adaptable to general garden
conditions than P. veris and P. vulgaris,
requiring moist, humusy soil in shade, preferably
in a rock garden setting where the plants will
not have heavy competition. |
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The last
horticulturally important Vernales Primula is P.
juliae, a tiny species from the Caucasus
Mountains. This has been hybridized with P.
vulgaris and P. elatior to make the Julian
hybrids, a group of small forms adaptable enough
for wide garden use in the US. |
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