Primula eliator Veristar Lemon - Oxlip

The Primula eliator F1 'Veristar Lemon' is a hardy primrose that is particularly floriferous in spring. The plant produces flower spikes, each carrying 10 to 30 flowers of a very bright lemon yellow, perfectly complemented by dark green foliage. Beautiful in borders, it is also a perennial or biennial plant that is ideal for ornamental containers. Plant it in a sunny but not scorching position, in soil enriched with compost, fertile and moist.

The Primula eliator, also known as the Oxlip or Cowslip, is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to our native flora and is mostly found in the dappled shade of light woodlands or at the edge of forests. When abundant, this species, sometimes called the cuckoo flower, is an indicator of ancient forests, relatively undisturbed by human activity.

By hybridisation with the Common Primrose (Primula vulgaris), this plant has given rise to many short-lived perennial hybrids, often cultivated as biennial plants. This 'Veristar Lemon' primrose blooms in April-May, depending on the climate, for several weeks. On each plant, multiple flower spikes, 25 cm (10in) tall, bear numerous single flowers, slightly fragrant, composed of rounded petals, in a bright and clear yellow colour with a golden yellow centre. Their vivid colour is well complemented by evergreen rosettes of large, deeply wrinkled dark green leaves, which are ornamental even when not in bloom.

Eliator primroses are less well-known than stemless primroses, but they have their own advantages: they are taller, hardier, more perennial, and their flowering is also more spectacular. They are excellent companions for shade-loving and light woodland perennials such as heucheras, brunnera, forget-me-nots, cow violets, and hostas. They can also be used to decorate the terrace, window, or balcony, planted in containers that will brighten up the spring scenes. They also hold up well in a simple bouquet, mixed with forget-me-nots or early tulips.