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Primrose
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Primrose
The flowers of primrose, when found in profusion, make a great addition to salads.
Prima rosa is the Latin for ‘first rose’ and it is usually one of the first flowers of spring.
| Hedgerow Type | |
| Common Names | Common Primrose, English Primrose |
| Scientific Name | Primula vulgaris |
| Season Start | Mar |
| Season End | Jun |
Please note that each and every hedgerow item you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Leaves
Dark green, oblong and crinkly.
Flowers
Pale yellow, with five petals. Deeper yellow markings towards the middle. Flowering from February to June.
Flower Stem
Green to red, hairy and with one flower at the end of each stalk.
Habitat
Edges of grassland and woodland, grassy banks and shady places.
Possible Confusion
The Cowslip, pictured, which is edible.
Other primulas, but stick to the yellow flowering varieties and you will be safe.
Smell
Floral.
Taste
The flowers are refreshing and sweet and the young leaves can be used as a green vegetable or in salads.
Frequency
Common.
Collecting
This plant was over used in the past and was less common but it seems to have made a recovery as it is now a common site in the countryside.
Medicinal Uses
Extracts from the roots have been used commercially in cough syrups and used to treat arthritis and rheumatism. The leaves and flowers can also be used as a tea to alleviate anxiety, insomnia and even migranes.
Other Facts
Primroses were traditionally used to dress corpses and for throwing onto graves.
