Primula x beesiana

ROYAL CANDELABRA PRIMROSES

No WA

Primula x beesiana
ROYAL CANDELABRA PRIMROSES

Primula x beesiana is a noble, stately Candelabra style Primrose with whorled spires of royal purple.
Not permitted for entry to WA

Stately spires of royal purple Candelabra Primroses

So the tiers of blooms come in a range of royal purples, from deep velvet purple to soft rose-purple.
With each flower sparkling a golden eye, contrasting nicely with the darker petals.
A group of blooming Primula x beesiana is breathtakingly lovely during late spring and early summer.

Treasures for shade or a moist spot

Primula x beesiana have similar growing requirements to most other Candelabra Primula, but are somewhat less demanding and more robust.

Robust growers that get better each year

They are vigorous growers, forming a substantial perennial clump that gets better each year.
So they enjoy positions in Shade to Deep Shade.
In soil with plenty of organic matter.
Or they relish more sun if they are planted in damp spots or at the water-side.
They even enjoy really wet, boggy spots with their toes in the water at the side of a pond or dam.
And will positively purr in the normal garden with a treat of compost, leaf mold, mulch or aged manure.

Frost hardy perennials

So if the winter is exceptionally cold they will just become deciduous and sleep until warmer spring times.
Then they come back with renewed vigour to wow all comers over late spring and early summer.
Plants happily tolerate winter temperatures and frosts down to -20C.

Beauties to enjoy for many years

Primula x beesiana are not difficult to grow and very reliable, given their preferred conditions of course.
They are robust perennial clumps which thrive for many years.
Though they also willingly self sow new plants each year if they are allowed to set seed in late summer.
They enjoy a soil with neutral to acid pH, so do not add lime.
And they perform best in clay, or clay based loam, enriched with plenty of humus, compost and mulch.

Low maintenance in garden or pots

Gorgeous Primula x beesiana are easy, low maintenance plants once established in a suitable garden spot or in a cool shaded pot.
They are an ideal size perennial clump for small garden areas and pots, though they pack a huge colour punch.
Forming perennial clumps of puckered Primula foliage, sitting close to the ground as a neat rosette.
The only work is an annual trim off of the finished flower spires, other than adding compost and mulch.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Mercifully rabbits and deer are not particularly attracted to Primula, and tend to pass them by on their way to more favourite fodder.

Each plant of Primula x  beesiana grows 45-60cm. High with spring-summer flower spires x 20cm. Wide deciduous foliage rosette.
They look stunning planted in groups in the garden or a pot.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: QUICK & EASY

Sow seeds of Primula x beesiana indoors in winter, spring or autumn / or scatter outdoors winter or spring, at any cool time of the year.

Indoors:
(Sowing Tip: Primula seeds are very fine and tiny. So pop a little fine sieved mix into the bag containing the seed and shake around to collect the seed, and then sow the whole contents of the bag).

First sow the seeds in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.

Now gently pat the surface to ensure the seeds have good contact with the the mix.
But do not cover with mix because these seeds need light to germinate.

Thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath – allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Then place the sown, moist punnet in a well lit position (with good light but absolutely no direct sunlight).
And continue to keep consistently moist by misting regularly with a spray water bottle.
Covering with a plastic lid will also help to maintain consistent moisture.
Because Primula seed like consistent moisture and resent drying out.

Keep the punnet in a cool place

Temperatures of 15-18°C. are best for optimum and rapid germination.
And temperatures above 20C may inhibit germination and throw the seeds back into dormancy. So always sow when hot days are over.

Seedlings emerge in approx. 21-40 days.

However if the seeds are shy to germinate – Then cling wrap the moist sown punnet and place in the  fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.
Then remove, unwrap and return to well-lit position at 15-18°C. and continue to keep moist.

Seed Count: 100 seeds per pack.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count and give a generous serve).

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