Primula polyanthus 'Penumbra'

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• common names: primrose
• flowering season: spring with a second flowering season in fall as the weather cools off; in places that have cool summers, this can bloom all summer long
• height: 4 to 5 inches
• Light requirements: partial shade
• Soil requirements: average to rich soil that drains well; adding humus in the form of aged compost or peat moss to the soil really helps
• Water requirments: more water than average; if the ground dries out too much a plant will go dormant early
• Growth habit: a thickening clump
• How to propagate: older clumps can be divided into several pieces that re-establish themselves quickly; the best time to divide a plant is in fall, although it can also be done in spring
• Leaf type: crisp, green lettuce-like leaves that both deer and slugs consider to be a delicacy
• Ways to use it: will grow happily in a pot or in the ground
• Special characteristics: although this type of primrose grows so quickly that the common forms of it you find at garden centers are often sold as annuals, this is long lived and perennial if treated right
• Other points of interests: primroses have been a favorite of gardeners for many generations