Flower Specifications
- Season: Perennial
- USDA Zones: 8 - 10
- Height: 8 - 10 inches
- Bloom Season: Winter and spring
- Bloom Color: Crimson
- Environment: Partial shade
- Soil Type: Moist, well-drained, pH 6.0 to 7.5
- Deer Resistant: Yes
Planting Directions
- Temperature: 64 - 72F
- Average Germ Time: 21 - 42 days
- Light Required: Yes
- Depth: Press into soil and cover lightly with peat moss
- Sowing Rate: 4 seeds per plant
- Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
- Plant Spacing: 8 inches
- Care & Maintenance: See: Primrose
Fairy Primrose (Primula Malacoides Crimson) - Grown from flower seeds, this Primula has a common name of Fairy Primrose and is a long-time favorite for bedding and containers. These miniature floral bouquets of crimson shades are signs of spring. Excellent for bedding, edging and containers, they are especially effective with spring blooming bulbs. They even make a wonderful houseplant, blooming indoors for 3 months.
Many long-blooming, large-flowered varieties are available which provide instant color in late winter through spring. Most are short-lived perennials, replanted with summer-blooming annuals. Fairy Primroses attract butterflies, and they are easy to grow in partial shade, and moist, humus-rich soil. Like all Primula, this flower dislikes cold winters and summer heat.
Sow Fairy Primrose flower seeds in starter trays using a "peaty" potting mix. These flower seeds need light for germination, so barely cover Fairy Primrose flower seeds with peat moss. For December and January blooms, sow Primula Malacoides flower seeds in June and July. Keep seeds moist until germination and after as well. Fairy Primroses do not like to dry out. In warm conditions, mist spray daily and stand the pot on moist pebbles. Begin to feed when the flower stalks begin to develop and continue to feed at intervals of 14 days until flowering has finished. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong blooming time.
