Primula 'Oakleaf Blue' (Garden Primrose) – Hardy Perennial (2L Pot)

Primula 'Oakleaf' is a compact garden primrose with deeply lobed, oak-shaped leaves and clusters of rich blue flowers from late winter into spring.

The Oakleaf types were bred for pots and the front of a border, staying low and neat rather than spreading. The flowers sit just above the foliage, and the lobed leaves give the plant some texture once flowering is over, which most bedding primroses do not offer.

It is fully hardy and a true perennial, so it will come back year after year if you leave it in the ground. Give it partial or dappled shade, or full sun where the soil stays moist, and work in some organic matter so the roots never bake dry. Supplied as a 2 litre root-ball, ready to plant out. All primulas can cause a stomach upset if eaten, and the leaves can irritate skin when handled.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Primrose
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 15 to 20cm tall and 20 to 30cm across
• Growth Habit: Low growing, clump forming
• Perfect For: Front of a border, patio containers, shady corners and path edges
• Foliage: Deeply lobed, oak-shaped green leaves
• Flowering Time: Late winter into spring
• Planting Position: Partial shade or dappled shade, full sun where the soil stays moist, and happy in a patio container
• Soil Type: Moist, humus-rich soil that does not dry out
• Hardiness: Fully hardy across Britain, including in cold winters
• Maintenance: Low. Deadhead spent flowers and divide congested clumps in autumn
• Seasonal Interest: Winter and spring
• Type: Hardy perennial, sold as spring bedding