Primroses are a pretty yellow flower that come out in early spring to make full use of the sunlight before the trees and shrubs above them shade the hedge or woodland floor. This primrose was spotted growing on a tree in a hedgerow. Primroses have adapted themselves to flower early in spring and make the most of the sunshine for photosynthesis.

Primroses and Genetics:

Primrose flowers are carried on slender stems and they emerge from deep in the rosette of the leaves. Primroses are different from polyanthus flowers as their stem structure is different. Polyanthus flowers are carried on bunches on short slender stems that come from a short thicker stem. Polyanthus was bred from cowslips and primroses and the original colours were yellow, pink and some dark pink-red colours with small flowers. The plant breeders have developed large flowered varieties in a range of colours. This has been achieved by doubling the number of chromosomes and making them much larger and also a wide range of colours are available.

Primroses - Primulaceae Family

The above example shows where cross pollination between Primroses and Polyanthus occurred in nature.

Cowslip (Primulaceae Family)

The picture on the left shows a cowslip which also belongs to the Primulaceae family. Cowslips come out to flower a little later in spring than primroses. Native primroses and cowslips can cross pollinate and form a hybrid known as a “False Oxlip”.