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Primula pulverulenta

Mealy Cowslip

Family PrimulaceaeGenus Primula

Whorls of crimson-pink flowers with dark eyes, spaced up tall stems dusted with white meal, above ribbed leaves.
FlowerGhislain118 (AD) http://www.fleurs-des-montagnes.netCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Flower
Rose-purpleFlora of China
Native range
China South-CentralGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Flora of China — Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven and Hong Deyuan (eds.); GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The mealy primrose carries its deep pink flowers in tiers at intervals along the stem, which is why it and similar species are called candelabra primulas. It comes from damp places in China. Wikipedia: Primula pulverulenta

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

100% germination in 7–21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Primula p. 197Public domain
Show the original text
Primula. (Primulaceae). The discovery of a photorequirement in P. pulverulenta (Can) germ. .70(100% in 1-3 w) and 40(35% in 4-20 d)-70(65% in 4-8 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Primula p. 197. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 28, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    35 germinated in this phase.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 8 days.

65% germination in 4–8 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Primula p. 197Public domain
Show the original text
Primula. (Primulaceae). The discovery of a photorequirement in P. pulverulenta (Can) germ. .70(100% in 1-3 w) and 40(35% in 4-20 d)-70(65% in 4-8 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Primula p. 197. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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