Primula elatior Veristar Late Twinkle Violet - Primula Crescendo Mix seeds - Oxlip

Primula elatior 'Veristar Late Twinkle Violet' is a remarkable, vigorous, floriferous and colourful hybrid primrose. This compact variety develops numerous flower stalks topped with magnificent violet flowers edged with white and a yellow heart in February-March. Highly appreciated for its neat habit and beautiful dark green crinkled foliage, it works well in flowering pots, borders and beds. Robust and hardy, it can be grown as either a biennial or a short-lived perennial, in moist, humus-bearing, well-drained soil, in partial shade.

Primroses belong to the Primulaceae family and are well known for their early and colourful flowering that heralds the return of spring. Among them, Primula elatior, the Oxlip or Wood Primrose, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to our indigenous flora. It grows naturally in partial shade in clear woodland and forest edges, where it sometimes forms superb carpets in early spring. Through hybridisation with Primula vulgaris, an equally common species, many horticultural varieties have emerged, including the Veristar F1 series, specially selected for its performance and remarkable staying power in the garden.

The 'Veristar Late Twinkle Violet' variety is characterised by its late and abundant flowering. It often begins in March, or even from the end of February in milder regions or if the plant is protected from heavy frosts. Each plant produces several robust flower stalks, 20 to 25 cm high, each bearing a cluster of single flowers 3-4 cm in diameter. The rounded, deep velvety violet petals, highlighted by a fine white border, open around an eye-catching, large golden-yellow heart. Flowering lasts for four to five weeks, from the end of winter until the first fine days. The foliage forms a dense, regular rosette, composed of very decorative, deep green, broad, crinkled and well-veined leaves. Semi-evergreen in mild climates, it remains attractive even when not in flower. This primrose is naturally well-structured, with a neat habit. Cold resistant down to –29 °C, it is equally suited to open ground or cultivation in pots or planters.

Less well-known than stemless primroses, elatior primroses like 'Veristar Late Twinkle Violet' are excellent flowers for gardens and balconies. Taller, hardier and often longer-lasting, they offer elegant and bright flowering, ideal for enlivening partially shaded areas in spring. Plant them along the edge of a path, in clear woodland or at the foot of deciduous bushes. They pair well with bronze heucheras like 'Caramel', with the silver foliage Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost', or classic blue forget-me-nots (Myosotis 'Bluesylva'). In pots or planters, 'Twinkle Violet' looks most effective when combined with Viola 'Sorbet XP Blackberry' pansies or small tulips 'Purple Prince', to create a violet colour scheme. It can even find its place in a small table bouquet, where its flowers will highlight a few sprigs of muscari or stems of early tulips.