Primula praenitens

Japanese name: プリムラ プラエニテンス
Scientific name: Primula praenitens

[Overview]
A perennial 15–20 cm tall, found in its native range in forests and along valleys at elevations of 1,000 m.
The whole plant is densely covered with soft hairs.
The leaves are basal, ovate to oblong, 4–12 cm across, and shallowly lobed.
The leaves are thick, and the undersides are tinged with red.
The leaf margins have irregular teeth.
The leaf stalks are 10–20 cm long.
At the tip of the reddish flower stalk, umbels in 2–3 tiers bear many flowers.
The flowers are 3–4 cm across; the corolla is 5-lobed, and each lobe is further divided in two at the tip.
The flower color ranges from wisteria purple to pink.
The fruit is a capsule.
There are strains such as the Fimbriata, Stellata, Filicifolia and Prole-pleno strains.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
The seeds need light to germinate, so do not cover them with soil; water from the bottom, and raise seeds sown in summer in airy partial shade until autumn.
It prefers partial shade and fertile soil that is well drained and retains water well.
In the ground, it is best planted under deciduous trees or similar.
To overwinter it, it is best to keep it at 0°C or above.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
In addition to base fertilizer, place slow-release fertilizer on the soil in spring and autumn.
Leaving spent flowers and dead leaves causes disease, so remove them promptly.
The plants are short-lived, so it is good to raise new plants in advance.
Pests and diseases include gray mold and aphids.

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