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Primula specuicola

Cave-dwelling Primrose · Cavedwelling Primrose

Family PrimulaceaeGenus Primula

Three pale violet flowers with notched petals and white-ringed yellow eyes, on a short stalk above gray-green leaves in a rock crevice.
FlowerJackvanschaikCC0

About the plant

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

Habit
perennial or rhizomatous geophytePlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
LavenderFlora of North America
Native range
Arizona, UtahGBIF 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; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

Two sources report three treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 28, 2026 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on December 27, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 15 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 9 days.

60% germination in 4–9 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Primula p. 56Public domain
Show the original text
Primula (Primulaceae). The following seed samples were dead: P. specuicola DS 1 y germ.i70D(10% in 3rd w) and 40-70D(60% 4-9 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Primula p. 56. 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, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 15, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

10% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Primula p. 56Public domain
Show the original text
Primula (Primulaceae). The following seed samples were dead: P. specuicola DS 1 y germ.i70D(10% in 3rd w) and 40-70D(60% 4-9 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Primula p. 56. 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 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 22, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 14 days.

60% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Primula p. 68Public domain
Show the original text
Primula (Primulaceae). P. specuicola germ. 40-70D(60% in 2nd w) and 70D-40(nohe).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Primula p. 68. 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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