Description of Primula japonica 'Millers Crimson'

Primula japonica 'Millers Crimson' is a candelabra primrose with deep crimson flowers in spring and early summer. It’s made for damp shade and it brings colour to bog gardens before the tall summer marginals take over.

Appearance

It forms a rosette of green leaves, then sends up upright stems with rings of flowers stacked in tiers. Flower stems often reach 45 to 60cm. The crimson colour reads well even in shade.

Care Guide

It needs steady moisture. If it dries during flowering, the display shortens.

• Sun: Part shade is ideal. Full sun is fine if soil stays wet.
• Soil: Humus-rich, moisture-holding soil.
• Water: Keep consistently damp. Plant just above the wettest zone.
• After flowering: Cut spent stems for a tidy look, or leave some to seed.
• Division: Split clumps in spring or early autumn if crowded.

If you want it to naturalise, let a few stems set seed and move seedlings in autumn while they are small.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This is excellent for bog gardens with shade, especially on the north or east side of a pond. Plant in groups so the tiers read as a block from a distance.

It pairs well with ferns and hostas, and it also looks good in front of taller rushes later in the season.

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