Primrose

The Primrose has single, five notched petalled, pale to deep yellow, fragrant flowers with orange marked centres. They have wrinkled leaves with hairy undersides, that form a rosette at the base of the plant.

The flowers can appear as early as late December, but are generally seen from March to May.

They grow in moist shaded places. Woods and woodland clearings, hedgebanks, grassy banks, waysides, railway banks and ditches. They also grow on open grassland preferring damp, clayey soils.

The flowers provide an early nectar source for brimstone and small tortoiseshell butterflies.

Despite not belonging to the rose family, it is thought the name Primrose derives from the Latin ‘prima rosa’, meaning first rose.

A widespread and common plant in Britain.