Primrose perennial evening primrose or evening primrose

It is difficult to imagine a garden plot without a single flower, but there is not always the strength and time to engage in complex care of whimsical plants. In such cases, perennial and unpretentious plants that can please the eye with their flowering are chosen for planting. Perennial primrose also belongs to such plants.

About flower

Perennial primrose is also called evening primrose, or evening primrose. Other names for this plant are "primrose", "night candle", "onagra" and many others. The plant is very famous among flower lovers: unpretentious, drought tolerant and able to bloom all summer. Belongs to the fireweed family, it includes annuals and perennials of various sizes. This European copy came to Russia from Central America.

Perennial primrose is effective in its simplicity

Depending on the type of primrose, it can be either short or tall with a powerful rhizome. Flowers in different varieties are large, they are yellow, pink, blue, white and other colors. They open in the evening at sunset and close at dawn. The appearance at such moments resembles burning candles, for which the plant received one of its names. The stems of the plant can be either straight or creeping, pubescent with foliage. Leaves of an oval-elongated shape are located directly on the stems of the plant. The result of flowering is a seed capsule.

Healing and cosmetic properties

Evening primrose is successfully used in folk medicine, as it has antibacterial, antitumor, regenerating and wound healing properties. It is used for diseases of the kidneys and cardiovascular system, pre-infarction and pre-stroke conditions, hormonal disorders, lesions of the articular and bone tissues, diabetes mellitus and sclerosis.

The plant is of particular benefit for pregnant women, as it contains a large amount of folic acid, which is necessary for the proper development of the fetus.

Decoctions and infusions from this plant help in the treatment of endometriosis and ovarian cysts in women, as well as problems with potency in men.

Side effects are rare, however, it is best to treat self-medication with caution so as not to harm.

Decoctions and oils from primrose - a faithful assistant for women

The plant is also successfully used in cosmetology. Lotions and decoctions of primrose are used to treat seborrhea (dandruff), acne, various redness and rashes. Evening primrose oils in capsules and bubbles are used as a remedy against premature aging of the skin: from wrinkles, sagging and dullness of the skin. When using pharmacy drugs, it is better to follow the instructions.

Role in landscape design

Due to the large flowers that bloom profusely throughout the summer, evening primrose is a fairly common plant used in landscape design.In cool cloudy weather and in the evening and at night, flower beds with primrose look quite impressive, like flickering garlands. In addition, the plant is unpretentious to the soil, therefore it is often used both in private estates and in the creation of urban flower beds.

Planting and growing perennial evening primrose in the open field

The primrose is beautiful in that its cultivation does not require effort, it can perfectly reproduce on its own, and you can germinate seeds right away in the open field. The main methods of its reproduction are growing seedlings, cutting and dividing the bush.

Primrose is easy to grow indoors and is unpretentious to care for.

Growing seedlings from seeds

It is optimal to start germinating the seeds immediately after harvesting them from the plant in July-August. Seeds are sown in abundantly shed grooves in the soil, covering them with mulch and constantly watering them. For the winter, the seedlings are carefully covered with a layer of dry foliage up to 10 cm. If cultivation is planned in the winter, then sowing is carried out in boxes, but after the first frost. The main thing is to ensure good drainage of the surface and cover the sowing with non-woven material. The boxes are left in a semi-dark place until spring, and then provide abundant watering.

You can also grow primrose at home: a drainage layer is made in a container and soil is filled up for seedlings (turf, sand, leafy soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 2). It is important to ensure air permeability, in other words, not to compact the ground, but to carefully level it. The optimum seeding density is 5 seeds per 1 cm². Then the container is covered with a film and kept in the cold for up to 30 days (a freezer is good) and only after that the soil with the seeds is returned to the heat.

It is important to maintain a constant moisture content of the substrate and to dive the plants after the appearance of the first true leaf - to plant them in separate containers or in total with a distance of at least 5 cm between the bushes.

The second pick consists in planting the grown flowers at a distance of at least 15 cm from each other in separate containers or on a prepared bed. After planting in a permanent place, flowering occurs most often in the second year of primroses' life.

Propagation by cuttings

Unlike trees and shrubs, evening primrose is cut with leaves. To do this, pinch off the strongest rosettes in the second half of summer and root them in a shaded place without direct sunlight. Another way is root cuttings. They are planted in soil to a depth of 3 cm in moist warm soil.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

The most optimal breeding method for evening primrose. To do this, a large bush is carefully dug out, trying not to damage the root system, and divide it into several smaller bushes, depending on the development of the roots. The resulting bushes are planted in the soil.

Unpretentious plant to care for

Care in the garden from the moment of planting in the open ground

Primrose grows well on loam, but is also supportive of other types of soil. For planting, shaded areas are chosen where moisture does not stagnate, otherwise the soil is pre-drained.

After planting in a permanent place, it is important not to forget about weeding from weeds, surface loosening of the soil and watering. Short-term dryness of the soil will not harm the plant, but excessive watering can ruin it, so it is optimal to maintain a slightly moist soil.

The plant does not need pruning, except for the removal of wilted flowers and yellowed leaves. This will increase the appearance of new flowers and make them bloom more luxuriantly.

Before the onset of cold weather, after complete flowering, the plants finally get rid of the remaining flower and seed pods, however, wilted leaves and leaves that appeared in the fall are not removed. The ground around the rhizome is carefully spud and covered with dry foliage or spruce branches, making several holes for air flow to the roots. Withered foliage is removed only in the spring.

Diseases and pests

Like any other plants, primroses are susceptible to a variety of diseases. Among them are gray, root, stem and late blight rot, viral diseases and greening of petals, upon the appearance of which the plant, together with a lump of earth, must be destroyed.

With leaf spot of different genesis, phytosporin, Bordeaux liquid and other solutions can be used. Soil nematodes are dangerous, in which the plants will have to be destroyed.

Of insects, spider mites, weevils, caterpillars, aphids, snails and other pests that are standard for summer cottages and garden plots are at great risk. Methods for dealing with them are standard for all plants.

Primrose is an unpretentious and showy perennial plant for any area. Its bloom will delight you throughout the summer, delighting and delighting, bringing peace every evening.