Scientific Name:
Primula malacoides
Pronunciation:
mal-uh-koe-EYE-deez
Common Name:
fairy primrose
Family Name:
Primulaceae
Plant Type:
Annual, Flowering pot plant
Key ID Features:
Leaves basal, oval, 4-8cm long leaves, margins scalloped (irregularly toothed/ incised); florets with 5 notched petals, mostly in shades of pink to purple mostly with some yellow on the throat (all white cv. available), 20-30 per panicle.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Mounded
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
0.2 - 0.4m
Mature Spread:
0.1 - 0.3m
Origin:
S.E. Asia / Japan / China (Yunnan)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 8a: (-12 to -9.5 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun only if soil kept moist, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Alpine, Bedding plant, Container planting, Indoor plant
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Tomentose
Shapes:
Elliptic, Ovate
Apices:
Rounded
Bases:
Cordate
Margins:
Crenate
Inflorescence Type:
Panicle, Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Salverform
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Violet, Purple, Pink, Magenta, Red
Flower Time at Peak:
Feb, Mar, Apr
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
May, Jun
Additional Info:
Fruit insignificant, About 3mm in diameter
Bark or Stem Colour:
Propagation:
Seed
Optimal Temp.:
Low
Light Level:
Medium
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Aphids or adelgids, Mildew, Mites, Mold, Root rot, Slugs or snails, Virus
