Hello,

Is there a difference between a primrose and polyanthus? I ask because
the Thompson & Morgan catalogue has arrived in the post and it lists
both, yet they look the same.

Thanks,
Stephen.

On 19/6/08 18:00, in article ,
"Stephen" wrote:

Hello,

Is there a difference between a primrose and polyanthus? I ask because
the Thompson & Morgan catalogue has arrived in the post and it lists
both, yet they look the same.

Thanks,
Stephen.

Does it say anything about 'wild' or 'native' or 'cultivars'? The primrose
is Primula vulgaris.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

In message , Stephen
writes
Hello,

Is there a difference between a primrose and polyanthus? I ask because
the Thompson & Morgan catalogue has arrived in the post and it lists
both, yet they look the same.

Thanks,
Stephen.

Polyanthus are hybrids between cowslips and primroses. I suspect that
morphological boundaries are fuzzy, but to a first approximation
polyanthus have multiple flowers on a stem, and primroses just one
flower per stem.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Stephen writes
Hello,

Is there a difference between a primrose and polyanthus? I ask because
the Thompson & Morgan catalogue has arrived in the post and it lists
both, yet they look the same.

Loosely, primroses have one flower to a stem, polyanthus have an
'umbrella' of flowers at the top of the stem.

Primroses, IME, are less tolerant of dry soils than polyanthus.
--
Kay

K wrote:
Stephen writes
Hello,

Is there a difference between a primrose and polyanthus? I ask because
the Thompson & Morgan catalogue has arrived in the post and it lists
both, yet they look the same.

Loosely, primroses have one flower to a stem, polyanthus have an
'umbrella' of flowers at the top of the stem.

Primroses, IME, are less tolerant of dry soils than polyanthus.
I still think that primroses and cowslips beat polyanthus.

In message , Broadback
writes

I still think that primroses and cowslips beat polyanthus.

Absolutely. We now only have primula vulgaris and cowslips - the latter
are my favourite and this year was a good year for them.

--
Robert

On Jun 20, 3:04 pm, robert wrote:
In message , Broadback
writes

I still think that primroses and cowslips beat polyanthus.

Absolutely. We now only have primula vulgaris and cowslips - the latter
are my favourite and this year was a good year for them.

--
Robert

agreed 100%. Both are beautiful plants. Have primroses just starting
to naturalise in shady nooks in our garden. Cowslips will take
longer.

Broadback writes
K wrote:
Stephen writes
Hello,

Is there a difference between a primrose and polyanthus? I ask because
the Thompson & Morgan catalogue has arrived in the post and it lists
both, yet they look the same.

Loosely, primroses have one flower to a stem, polyanthus have an
'umbrella' of flowers at the top of the stem.
Primroses, IME, are less tolerant of dry soils than polyanthus.
I still think that primroses and cowslips beat polyanthus.

Depends what you're looking for. Hard to beat the charm of wild-type
primroses massed on a grassy bank, then the purple-leaved, pink flowered
version of the wanda type is lovely. But polyanthus are robust and
carefree, and the old-fashioned gold-laced polyanthus is a different
style again.

And I have to admit that much as I love the native cowslip, I also love
the bronze and dark red hybrids.
--
Kay

On 20/6/08 16:19, in article
, "Des
Higgins" wrote:

On Jun 20, 3:04 pm, robert wrote:
In message , Broadback
writes

I still think that primroses and cowslips beat polyanthus.

Absolutely. We now only have primula vulgaris and cowslips - the latter
are my favourite and this year was a good year for them.

--
Robert

agreed 100%. Both are beautiful plants. Have primroses just starting
to naturalise in shady nooks in our garden. Cowslips will take
longer.

I love them but I must admit to a sneaking fondness for the 'hose in hose'
types.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)