Primula elatior Veristar Late Blue - Oxlip

The Primula 'Veristar Late Blue F1' is a hardy primrose that will be appreciated for its performance in the garden and its spring flowering, which is as generous as it is richly coloured. The compact and bushy plant produces numerous flower stems, each carrying very pretty blue-violet flowers enhanced by a golden heart surrounded by magenta. Very beautiful in borders, it is also an ideal biennial-to-perennial plant for ornamental containers. You will plant it in a sunny but not scorching position, in soil enriched with compost, fertile and moist.

The primroses belong to the primrose family. The Primula elatior, also known as the oxlip or woodland primrose, is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to our native flora and is mostly found in the dappled shade of clearings or at the edge of forests. When it is abundant, this species, sometimes called the cuckoo flower, is an indicator of ancient forests, relatively undisturbed by human activity. This plant has produced many short-lived perennial hybrids through hybridization with the common primrose (Primula vulgaris), often cultivated as biennial plants. This 'Veristar Late Blue' primrose blooms from late January if protected from the cold, but more commonly in March, depending on the climate, for about 4-5 weeks. On each plant, several flower stems 20-25 cm (8-10in) tall each carry several single flowers 3 cm (1in) in diameter, composed of rounded petals. Their colour is well highlighted by evergreen foliage in rosettes of large, deeply crinkled dark green leaves, which are ornamental even outside the flowering season.

Elatior primroses are less well-known than stemless primroses, but they have many advantages: they are taller, hardier, more perennial, and their flowering is also more spectacular. They are excellent companions for shade and cool woodland perennials such as heucheras, brunnera, forget-me-nots, violets, or even hostas. They can also be used to decorate the terrace, window, or balcony when planted in containers that will brighten up spring scenes. They also look great in a simple bouquet, mixed with forget-me-nots or early tulips.