Primula sieboldii

Siebold Primrose is one of the prettiest spring woodlanders. Umbels of pink and white flowers are held above a pale rosette of wrinkly, lightly fuzzed leaves. Quickly spreads by seed to form informal drifts, but never becomes invasive. Easy to grow and tolerant of more neglect and drier soils than most of its relatives as it does go summer dormant. Deer resistant.

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society

Zones: 4 to 7
Family: Primulaceae
Type: Perennial
Height: 12 to 18 in.
Spread: 12 to 18 in.
Exposure: full sun to part-shade to light shade
Soil Conditions: moist, humus rich, fertile, cool
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Color: white, pink or purple
Native Range: Japan, Korea, Russia and China

Image Credits:

• Image 1 (blooms) Richard Bramley, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 2 (foliage) James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons