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A Sexy Plant: Primula japonica

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | May 25, 2011 7 Comments

Last updated on December 2nd, 2011

BLOOMING in my Woodland Garden just now are the “Candelabra Primroses.” What a relief to see the colorful spires against an otherwise all-green setting of ferns and hostas. More pictures, and a little advice for growing this generous Primula Japonica:

Like P. malecoides, the “fairy primrose” we all enjoy as a winter houseplant, japonica produces not one, not two, but three delightful tiers of bloom. These come in shades pink, red or white. I have ‘Miller’s Crimson,’ pale pink ‘Appleblossom’ and creamy white ‘Alba.’

Japonica is easy enough to grow. Give it a shady, moist spot, and it will bloom for you from May through mid-July. The plant will freely reseed itself, too, unless you fiddle around in its bed in early spring. This can harm the emerging shoots, which look, at first glance, like pale-green lettuce leaves.

If I didn’t already have a japonica collection in my woodland, I’d immediately start one. The plant is hardy in zones 4-8.

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Comments

  1. 1

    Gregory says

    May 25, 2011 at 11:30 pm

    Absolutely beautiful! I know that malecoides is fragrant — what about japonica?

  2. 2

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    May 26, 2011 at 12:03 am

    Gregory – Japonica is not fragrant. But that is its only fault.

  3. 3

    Broken Barn Industries says

    May 26, 2011 at 10:36 am

    Kevin, my pulmonaria makes tons of babies every spring. Can those handle full wood shade like your primroses?

  4. 4

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    May 26, 2011 at 11:54 am

    BBI – Pulmonaria are great beauties, too! I'd plant those babies where they get dappled light; in a too-dark location they will not bloom.

  5. 5

    Broken Barn Industries says

    May 29, 2011 at 11:37 am

    Bummer- guess I'll just sell off the extras and make some money to buy primroses! I would be honored if you'd “visit” my garden via my blog, Kevin (just click on Broken Barn Industries here). We have almost 2 acres and have been actively working on the gardens for the past four years. The goal is No Lawn! (Well, maybe some paths…)

  6. 6

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    May 29, 2011 at 1:19 pm

    BBI – I did stop by your garden just now, and left a comment there. Great property you have! Is your house old like mine — built around 1826 or so?

  7. 7

    Ardelle says

    June 6, 2015 at 1:57 pm

    This year has been the best one for my primroses. I guess I dug around them too much in the past. They survived late snow and several 3″ rain downpours.

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