Primula sieboldii

[Calvin Becker]

Hi all

Does anybody have seed of Primula sieboldii that they would be willing to exchange? And any aspects of cultural advice that I should be aware of?

Thanks

[Carlo]

Calvin,

No particular cultivation difficulties here in the NE US. I've grown several cultivars in shaded, woodland conditions with success (I've moved since then and don't have the plants--or seed; sorry). That said, I have NO idea of your conditions or whether you'll have any problems.

Best of luck. It's a great species.

[fleurbleue]

Hi Calvin, may be I'll be able to do something for you 

[Lesley Cox]

I believe the Barnhaven nursery in France do a good selection of colours of P. sieboldii. Here it likes it cool, moist and a very humusy soil and then it will wander about to make a big and beautiful patch.

[Calvin Becker]

Calvin,

No particular cultivation difficulties here in the NE US. I've grown several cultivars in shaded, woodland conditions with success (I've moved since then and don't have the plants--or seed; sorry). That said, I have NO idea of your conditions or whether you'll have any problems.

Best of luck. It's a great species.

Carlo

I live in an area that gets rainfall in summer (mainly in the form of thunderstorms) and no rainfall at all, generally in winter. The garden is watered weekly year round though. Summer temps can reach mid to high 30s celcius and winter minimums can reach -5 to -9 celcius.

[Calvin Becker]

I believe the Barnhaven nursery in France do a good selection of colours of P. sieboldii. Here it likes it cool, moist and a very humusy soil and then it will wander about to make a big and beautiful patch.

Lesley

Thanks for mentioning Barnhaven. I've googled it and they offer a 'Galaxie' mix which is of all colour forms.

[Calvin Becker]

Hi Calvin, may be I'll be able to do something for you 

I've sent you a PM Nicole

[David Pilling]

Warning this is an anecdote...

P. sieboldii seems to respond well to GA3 treatment. This year I treated all the seed I got from the SRGC seed ex, it all germinated indoors at 60-70F, I grew it in the office window until March, and one that I planted out in the garden has flowered in the last couple of weeks. So P. sieboldii the annual primrose.

Without GA3 it's a long term project - needs cold treatment to germinate.

It's proved a survivor in the garden, which is an achievement. But it's not set seed for me, I think Barnhaven (from where I got the seed of my oldest plants) have a clever way of only supplying seed that produces pins or thrums.

[Calvin Becker]

Warning this is an anecdote...

P. sieboldii seems to respond well to GA3 treatment. This year I treated all the seed I got from the SRGC seed ex, it all germinated indoors at 60-70F, I grew it in the office window until March, and one that I planted out in the garden has flowered in the last couple of weeks. So P. sieboldii the annual primrose.

Without GA3 it's a long term project - needs cold treatment to germinate.

It's proved a survivor in the garden, which is an achievement. But it's not set seed for me, I think Barnhaven (from where I got the seed of my oldest plants) have a clever way of only supplying seed that produces pins or thrums.

Thanks David. How long would you say is a long term project?

[David Pilling]

How long. Say you sow p. sieboldii now (here, Northern hemisphere), then they will germinate in Spring 2011, after the cold of Winter. They'll grow through 2011, go dormant, and then flower in Spring 2012.

As has been said above they'll then go on to form bigger clumps in subsequent years.

Not too bad. about 18 months from sowing to flower, just like many other primulas. But not as good as with GA3 where they might flower in 9 months.

My experience was that without GA3 half the seed did not germinate - if you're careful it can be kept and given another chance after another spell of cold, add another year. For me at least going through a Winter means surviving a vine weevil season.

I was joking about Barnhaven above - there's a comment in Richard's Primula book about plants from a common source being reluctant to set seed (or words to that effect).


Probably better say that GA3 is not foolproof and you can kill seed with it.