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Great Plant Pick: Drumstick primrose

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Primula denticulata is native to the Himalaya Mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet, Burma, and China. The habitat is wet meadows from 5,000 feet to 14,500 feet. (Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks)
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Primula denticulata is native to the Himalaya Mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet, Burma, and China. The habitat is wet meadows from 5,000 feet to 14,500 feet. (Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks)

Primula denticulata is native to the Himalaya Mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet, Burma, and China. The habitat is wet meadows from 5,000 feet to 14,500 feet. (Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks)

What: This primrose, also known as Primula denticulata, is quite like a lollipop when it blooms. The tiny flowers are tightly arranged on an orb about 2 inches in diameter and 6 inches above the foliage. Generally, the blooms are lilac to lavender in color, but white, purple, carmine and pink are also sometimes available. This easy and robust primrose will bring a burst of color to the spring garden.

Where: Plant these primroses in light to open shade. For the best growth, a soil that is rich would be ideal, although clay or sand would be fine as well. These plants will tolerate — indeed, require — constant moisture, so they actually thrive in moist or wet sites.

Size: Reaches 1 foot high by 1 feet wide in 10 years.

Care: Water regularly or frequently, especially if the soil is well-drained or dries out quickly. If given the right conditions, these plants will self-sow prolifically, creating a vivid multitude of flowers. However, they generally do not spread into drier areas.

— greatplantpicks.org

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