Alphabetical Plant Listing

Double Primroses

Double Primulas


Prized by horticulturists since Elizabethan times, Double Primroses have been cherished in English cottage gardens for centuries. How not to be bewitched by their beauty? Often fragrant, the multipetalled blossoms of these perennial plants resemble small roses and are available in a wide range of colors, including bi-colors cultivars. Most are of acaulis type, with their flowers borne on individual short stems. Whether planted in the garden border or in containers, they have the effect of stopping passers-by in their tracks.

  • Double Primroses enjoy a long flowering season extending from mid to late spring. Some cultivars even begin flowering in early spring, providing a long-lasting floral display.
  • Double Primroses are very floriferous thanks to their incredible number of buds. One single plant can produce a hundred blooms!
  • Double Primroses typically grow up to 4-6 in. tall (10-15 cm).
  • Grow them in full sun or partial shade in moderately fertile, evenly moist but well-drained, humus-rich-soil. Make sure you keep them well-fed and frequently divided (every two years to keep them vigorous), and they will reward you with their exuberant blossoms year after year.
  • Keep an eye on your plants. Make sure the soil does not dry out in summer during the dry periods. Remove decaying leaves to reduce risk of fungal infections, discard old blooms to avoid rot in the crown.
  • Unlike many other primroses, Double Primroses do not carry seed and do not self-sow. They can only be reproduced by division or micropropagation.
  • Plant your Double Primroses under deciduous shrubs, such as Acers (Maples), Viburnums, Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Hamamelis (Witch Hazels) or Rose shrubs. They will fully enjoy the spring sun before the shrubs unfolds their umbrella of leaves, and will be protected from the summer sun when the shrubs are in full leaf.
  • Team them with spring-flowering bulbs such as Muscari (Grape Hyacinths), Narcissus (Daffodils) or Galanthus (Snowdrops). Combine them with Helleborus (Hellebores), Dicentras (Bleeding Hearts), Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemones), or Viola cornuta (Violets).

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Primula - Primrose
Exposure Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers, Underplanting Roses and Shrubs
Compare All Primula - Primrose Great Plant Combination Ideas with Primula - Primrose Guides with Primula - Primrose

By Johnnie Martin / Shutterstock

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Primula - Primrose
Exposure Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid,Late)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers, Underplanting Roses and Shrubs
Compare All Primula - Primrose Great Plant Combination Ideas with Primula - Primrose Guides with Primula - Primrose

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.