Primula Crescendo® Blue Shades

Primula Crescendo® Blue Shades: Rare Spring Blue, Built for Northern Winters

Deep blue to violet flowers with sunny yellow eyes, popping up while there's still salt on the driveway. This primrose has absolutely zero patience for winter. SPRING STARTS WHEN IT SAYS SO.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Primula elatior hybrid
• Common Name: Oxlip Primrose
• Series: Crescendo®, bred by Benary
• Height: 25 cm (10 in)
• Spread: 20–30 cm (8–12 in)
• Flowers: Shades of deep blue to violet-blue with a yellow eye, in clusters on short, sturdy stems
• Bloom Time: Early to mid-spring (April to May)
• Foliage: Crinkled, medium green leaves in a low rosette
• Features: Early spring colour

Where to Plant: Plant it along the front of a shady bed, beside a path or under deciduous trees and shrubs, where it gets spring sun before the leaves fill in, with shelter from hot afternoon sun. Groups of five or more read best from a distance, and it's a cheerful choice for a spring pot by the front door.

Companion Plants: Plant Crescendo® Blue Shades along a moist, part-shade path with plants that take over once the primroses rest. Heuchera FYRE WING™ 'Heliodor' adds bright foliage at 28 cm. Polemonium 'Touch of Class' brings variegated leaves and blue flowers at 30 to 40 cm in May and June. Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii' rises behind at 120 to 150 cm with deep violet-blue hoods from August to October. Deschampsia cespitosa adds fine blades and airy flower clouds at 60 to 90 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. On heavy clay, mix in compost so the crown doesn't sit in water. Keep the soil evenly moist through summer and add a light mulch to keep the roots cool. Primroses dislike drying out in hot weather. Remove spent flower stems after blooming. Every few years, lift and divide crowded clumps right after flowering to keep them vigorous.

History: The wild oxlip, Primula elatior, grows in woods and damp meadows across much of Europe and into western Asia, and its genus name comes from the Latin primus, meaning first. The Crescendo® series was developed by the German seed company Benary as an extremely winter-hardy primrose suited to northern climates.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant and easy going. Tuck it by the door and shake off the winter blues with actual blues. FIGHT FIRE WITH BLUE.