![]() ![]() Personally, I would propose that seeds be sown as winter transitions into spring. The answers you get will vary by society, nursery, or expert, and will span the year from November through July! There is no agreement on the best season to plant Auricula seeds. Though Auricula species are hardy enough to thrive in exposed locations, cultivars should be grown in sheltered locations.Īll varieties are winter hardy, and their hardiness spans USDA Zones 3 to 8 (H5 to H7 RHS Zones). They are also accustomed to frequent rainfall but must have well-drained soils. ![]() Habitat & Growing ConditionsĪs Auricula originate in Alpine and Sub-Alpine regions, cool to cold, dry climates suit them best. I’d advise that even experienced gardeners who want to take the plunge into growing Auriculas would do well to begin by growing Border or Garden Types and Alpine types.įor gardeners who are diligent and determined, Auriculas are quite possibly the top choice to introduce unmatched colours, show, and ornamental interest to your garden. Not surprisingly, in general the more ‘complex’ and prized the variety, the more difficult it is to grow and the more high-maintenance it is. These supremely ornamental plants come at a price, however. ‘Basic’ or ‘complex’, one way or another Auriculas are highly ornamental plants that bear showy flowers – and ultra-showy or ‘show-offy’ flowers in view of their unique and complex patterns, extraordinary palette, and countless colour combinations. “Some plants have a white or yellow powder called the farina coating the leaves and, on occasion, the flower.” The ‘basic’, simplest types are identified by the flowers’ velvety appearance, white central disc and bi-tonal gradation on the corolla, as professional gardener Roy Nicol shares: Some of these, for example, Primula ‘Cinnamon’, could even be mistaken for a type of rose.ĭouble Auriculas claim among them a few of the rare flowers that come in leaf green, and have pure black colouration.Īs for the single types, the descriptor ‘salver’ is a particularly apt one, for a large number of varieties resemble hand-painted miniature porcelain crockery. Solitary or umbels of salver-shaped flowers in pink, purple, yellow, white and dark green They occur as salver-shaped single flowers and complex, ruffled double flowers. Their diverse varieties mean that these herbaceous perennials are perfect for beds and borders but also for greenhouse cultivation and decorative planters.Ĭenturies of such cross-breeding and confusion mean that – though there may or may not be such a thing as an ‘Auricula Society’ or a ‘Primula Society’ – there is such a thing as the ‘Auricula and Primula Society’ – several of them, in fact. ![]() In September or October carefully raise the plants taking a ball of soil with the roots using a trowel and plant them in the flowering site and gently water them in.Auriculas produce flowers in an amazing array of colours and patterns, from essentially ‘block colour’ blooms in bright cheery tones through to highly intricate patterns comprising of daubs, stripes, and gradations in hues both diffuse and striking. When the plants have formed their first pair of true leaves, thin the plants to 10cm (4") apart and firm the soil around the bases. ![]() Aim to encourage the root to look further down for water, and you will have a more relaxed summer and a finer show of flowers in the long run. Water gently if the weather is dry for a period, but do not water too often as this will encourage the roots to form just below the surface and you will be watering all summer long to save your plants. Sow the seed carefully and thinly, aiming to get a seed every 2cm (3/4") and then gently rake the soil to cover, and firm with the back of the rake. Rows should be approximately 30cm apart and clearly labelled at the end. Mark out drills in the nursery bed or mark out an area for scattering the seed to rake in afterwards. Choose a time for sowing when the soil does not stick to your shoes but is moist below the surface and fairly dry on top. Prepare a nursery bed well in advance, ensuring that it is weed free. Spacing 30cm apart for flowering the following summer. Gradually harden off and plant out in September or October. When seedlings are large enough to handle, prick off into pots or boxes and grow on. ![]()
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