Primula 2014

[ichristie]

Hello at long last I have managed to flower Primula wollostonii grown from seed collected by Jens Nielson, has taken 3 years to flower it is in a bowl 2 flower spikes and the plants are stoloniferouse hope to get some seed, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ChrisB]

 Such a graceful flower Ian, wonderful.  I grew it once (from J Richards) but after it flowered it was gone.... No seed...

[Lesley Cox]

Disapointingly,only 1 flower this year
P.'Jupp'

But what a stunning colour Philip, in a double auricula.

[Lesley Cox]

Hello at long last I have managed to flower Primula wollostonii grown from seed collected by Jens Nielson, has taken 3 years to flower it is in a bowl 2 flower spikes and the plants are stoloniferouse hope to get some seed, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

From my very limited experience, seed only comes from cross pollination. I think this is true too, at Hokonui Alpines, where Louise grows it well and prolifically now, but with careful attention to pollination each season.

[Darren]

My eagle-eyed better half spotted this (still in bud) among a batch of seed raised Primula flaccida on a nursery stall at a show last weekend. I agreed it looked like it might be white flowered so we snapped it up. Turns out Susan was right, and what a beauty it is. The second picture is after yesterdays rain and you can see some blue now where the farina has washed off. I've never seen a white flaccida .

[Maggi Young]

Very unusual, Darren - and very beautiful. One of the best primulas - and that's saying something from such a fabulous family!
 Seeing your photo I have a vague recollection ( most of my recollections are on the vague side, as you know!) of a student asking about a white form  - but was it of P, flaccida? 

I'll see what I can find.....

[Darren]

Thanks Maggi.  I just hope I can keep it going and hopefully increase it.

[Maggi Young]

I've been happily imagining the scent of the P. flaccida  as I've spent the last 40 minutes searching for the question I mentioned earlier - no luck  so far in finding that but the very thought of the fragrance has cheered me!

[Darren]

Glad to hear it 

It's such a nice scent. The white (to my nose) seems to have a lighter and fresher scent than the normal form.

[Lesley Cox]

The white is very lovely indeed, especially as it has heavy farina on the calyces as well. It will be a triumph Darren if it comes true or even partly true, from seed. PLEASE, hand pollinate it. I'm looking forward to a group of 9 young plants I put in a damp and leafy place recently. Looking a bit washed out for the winter but sturdy centre buds so I hope all will survive and flower.

[Darren]

Have tried hand-pollinating it Lesley - will see if it selfs. I also tried a cross with a normal form but sadly all my plants are thrum (including the white) so I'm not expecting much in the way of viable seed.

[Maggi Young]

Susan  at Pitcairn Alpines has primula plug plants for sale - http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11615.msg307024#msg307024 - other plants too, Omphalogramma and meconopsis...... 

[Cyril L]

Beautiful white form of Primula flaccida Darren.  Let's hope it is self fertile and the seeds come true.

Primula rufa flowering for the first time in cultivation from seeds collected autumn 2012.  P. rufa is closely related to the more familiar Primula forrestii.

The plant has lots of farina on the corolla and calyx, which is believed to be the consistent characteristics that define rufa (which will be P. bullata var. rufa). Leaf shape is variable, from cordate or truncate (like forrestii) to cuneate or even attenuate (like bullata) which is consistent with plants from the northern end of the P. rufa range (N and W Yunnan), which is where this collection was made.

Plant is 36 cm tall with large flowers (3 cm across) closely packed together. We will have to see whether this is a feature of rufa generally when other plants flower.

[Lesley Cox]

Have tried hand-pollinating it Lesley - will see if it selfs. I also tried a cross with a normal form but sadly all my plants are thrum (including the white) so I'm not expecting much in the way of viable seed.

Have you tried a cross with either reidii or wollastonii? We're trying both here with a little success. Using just the purple form of flaccida of course, but the white reidii.

[Darren]

Good idea Lesley - and all my remaining reidii are pin forms. They have probably finished for this year though - I find reidii flowers a good few weeks before flaccida here.