Primula-February to April 2008

[Michael J Campbell]

a few in flower today.
Primula  Rhenaniana
Primula Carniolica
Primula joan hughes
Primula Hiland twilight x Warfdale village- seedling
Primula hyb own seedling 003
Primula marginata seedling 001
Primula own seedling,002 I think I posted this before,but here it is again.

[David Nicholson]

Nice Michael, I had heard of Primula Rhenaniana before but had never seen it. I can't grow a good P. carniolica to save my life.

[David Nicholson]

Hi David,  well, I got as good a picture as I could today in the greenhouse, which, as you know, is now in deep shade from the fallen tree limb.... first Primula marginata 'Alba' - as I said, it has not flowers as yet, but today when I inspected more closely, saw a flower raceme forming so I will have eventually, and will post for you later.  Second, P. 'Clarence Elliott'.  Both plants were obtained last autumn, so I am quite pleased to have any flowers at all!

Glad to see you are becoming a Primula addict Chris! Your P. m. Alba looks a very nice plant, I was thinking before I saw it that perhaps it was a hybrid but that is definitely marginata. Clarence Elliott is a little gem.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great Primula's everyone ! Thanks for showing !

Michael, that own seedling 002 looks perfect !!!

[Martijn]

Dear friends,

Primula marginata Alba is another plant. I am sorry to diasappoint you Chris, but the cultivar Alba is mostly a rather dirty white-fading to pink .

P. marginata ´Casterino´ is as far as I know the only pure white form. It is easily recognizable by the long lanceolate leafform. It is very slow growing and needs to been grown rather dry. The best one I have is in full sun between tufa.

Greetz, Martijn

[David Nicholson]

Martijn, I think there is more than one clone around from what I have read.  John Richard's in 'Primula' says 'There is also a poor whitish form' but in 'Primulas' Mary Robinson says '.....better forms do exist, one of which has very distinct pale green leaves and much whiter flowers....'

[ChrisB]

I'll let you know how it looks when it flowers anyway - the specimen shown recently was very nice, not at all poor in flower colour or form, so we'll see.  I'm an optimist.....

[Paul T]

Glorious pics Michael.  Just glorious!!  Your seedling 002 is amazing.

[Michael J Campbell]

Thanks Paul, I have a few more from the same seed pod.

[johanneshoeller]

Michael,
are you sure that you have a true P. carniolica?

[Michael J Campbell]

are you sure that you have a true P. carniolica?

Just checked John Richards (Primula) and my plant does not quite fit the description, the flower should be pink with a ring of meal and pale green  hooded leaves and a 25cm flower stem.
Should have checked it before I posted. It is the Alzheimers again I suppose.

[David Nicholson]

A few from my greenhouse today:-

Primula Helen Evans x 2
Primula Lismore Pink Ice x2
Primula Broadwell Oliver x 1 This should really have been a much bigger plant this year, but I dropped the pot when re-potting it last May and it broke into several small pieces.
Primula Broadwell Violet x 2
Two pictures of my first Auricula of the year, the Red Self-Scorcher. I'm a bit worried though, the foliage is a very light green and much lighter than I remember it last year

[Lesley Cox]

Maybe light levels aren't high enough?

[David Nicholson]

Maybe light levels aren't high enough?

Light has been difficult to come by over the last couple of weeks, but I was thinking the 'V' word Lesley?

[Lesley Cox]

Mmmm maybe, but I'd be inclined to think not. In my experience, primulas of the auricula group with a virus tend to have streaky or speckled leaves rather than the gradual yellowing towards the edges and between the veins, in yours. It almost looks like a lack of some trace element. Incidentally I have a glorious auricula called `Clifton Blue' which starts a thundercloud colour but ages to a soft almost sky blue and which does have the streaky leaves, though not heavily streaky if you know what I mean. I assume it is a virus but it's always been there and the plants remain very vigorous and free-flowering in the garden, and if it IS a virus, it has never spread to other auriculas.