February Gift Flowers: Primroses or Violets

A lovely variety of English primroses for sale for 99 cents at one of our local grocery stores.

February Gift Flowers: Primroses or Violets

Depending on which calendar you check, the February gift flower is either the English primrose or violets. The only violets available this time of year in Missouri are the tender, inside African violets.

Both these flowers are non-natives and grow in shade in their native habitat. English primroses are blooming now in France, where although it's also winter the weather is a little more forgiving.

I have a little purple English primrose in my living room, a purchase at a local grocery store.

This was the only purple English primrose in the bunch of flowers on sale. 

I bought the purple English primrose because it reminded me of the wild violets that will be  blooming in my one-acre hillside garden later this year.

What I noticed about caring for English primroses is that they don't tolerate their roots going dry. That makes sense since in their native environment, they live in the moist leaf litter under trees. When the soil is dry, their leaves drop and the plant can easily die.

The same thing with African violets, only African violets prefer their soil more on the dry side. This is a hybrid purple African violet I've had for many years:

This little purple African violet has been with me for many years and almost blooms continuously.

I keep both English primroses and African violets in indirect light on the southwest side of the house in a window and check daily that the soil has not dried out. 

This is one of the older African violets, considered original. It's hardier and blooms continuously.

Besides a few African violets purchased on sale, the rest of my African violets are a non-hybrid variety so they are hardier, and bloom almost constantly. Their color is more of a pink purple and the color changes as the flowers unfold.

In the "Language of Flowers," violets stand for faithfulness. In a month celebrating Valentine's day, it seems appropriate, don't you think?

Which ones have you tried to grow or have you grown both?

Charlotte

February Gift Flower: Primroses

These sweet pink primoses are now giving my den a splash of spring color.

February Gift Flower: Primroses

I picked up this little pink primrose grocery shopping last week. It was one of the last little pot of flowers left, most of the flowers dark or shriveled so the flower was on sale. I love primroses but I haven't had much luck getting them past their inside blooming stage.

Primrose History

Diana Wells, in her book "100 Flowers and How they Got Their Names" said the primrose is the prima rosa, or the first rose of the year. Diana said the shade-loving plant is also named for the first spring flower. 

How to Grow Primroses

According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, primroses prefer cool temperatures, a rich humus soil (lots of compost and leaf mold) and partial shade. They appreciate full sun in the spring, but must have semi-shade as the temperatures warm.

Luckily for me, they are quite tolerant of being transplanted, even when they are in bloom. They should be planted in a cool, partly shady area in the garden with rich, well-draining, slightly acid soil (pH 6.5). Primroses need to be planted so that their crown is right at soil level.

The Key to Growing Primroses Indoors

Missouri Botanical Garden's website said Primroses may be grown indoors "if you are able to provide them with cool night temperatures of 50-60° F, high humidity, filtered sun and moist soil." That may explain it, my house tends to be dry in winter. Maybe if I place the potted primroses on rocks in a saucer will help its growing conditions.

When they have finished blooming in the house, the Missouri Botanical Garden said  it is best to plant them directly into the garden, or summer them outdoors in their pots and move back to the house at the end of the summer. I may just try that. Our summers tend to be very hot so I doubt these cool-temperature lovers will like those conditions. 

My basement, on the other hand, is quite cool, perfect conditions to keep this primrose happy, I hope. Wish me, and this sweet little pink flower, luck!

Charlotte