Habitat: shady places
Soil: moist, with plenty of humus
Height: 15 cm
Flowering: late spring
Width: 15 cm
Closely related to Primula (and from DNA studies probably belonging within that genus), Cortusa species usually have bright pink flowers, with a characteristically prominent stigma closely surrounded by the stamens. The species are similar, and may even be regarded as varieties of a single species.
Primula (Cortusa) matthioli subsp. matthioli var. congesta is a more compact variant of an easy Primula relative (botanically it should be a Primula), with rounded, hairy leaves and short spikes of deep pink flowers with characteristice swept-back petals.
9 cm pot £3.50
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| Primula (Cortusa) matthioli subsp. caucasica has rounded leaves with lovely, nodding flowers of a good deep pink colour. | |
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| Primula (Cortusa) matthioli subsp. matthioli makes small, neat clumps of rounded leaves with lovely, nodding umbels of delicate deep pink flowers. | |
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| Primula (Cortusa) matthioli subsp. pekinensis is a variety with leaves that are more deeply lobed than usual, and with each lobe further divided. The flowers are much the same as in European variants, with around ten on each stem, deep pink. |