Primula 'Mrs Ferguson'

Perennial hybrid from the Primula × juliana group, resulting from the cross between Primula vulgaris, widely spread in Western Europe, and Primula juliae, a species from the Eastern Caucasus discovered in Georgia at the beginning of the 20th century. 'Mrs Ferguson' is an old cultivar whose precise origin is not clearly documented; the attribution to the British breeding tradition remains probable but uncertified.

The plant forms a low and compact clump, barely exceeding 8 to 10 cm in height, with glossy, bright green, bullate foliage, with distinctly crenate and slightly wavy edges.

The flowers are an intense bright magenta-pink, tending towards rosy purple depending on the sunlight, with a very contrasting bright yellow eye. The bright and luminous hue distinguishes this cultivar from the softer pinks or dark reds common in the group.

In cultivation, the flowering extends from February to April. It requires fresh, humus-rich, well-drained soil, in semi-shade or gentle sun, without prolonged summer drought. Dividing the clumps every two to three years maintains abundant flowering.