Where To Plant, And How To Grow And Care For Candelabra Primula (Candelabra Primroses)

Plants that generally like bog gardens thrive in soggy soil but prefer not to be ‘bathing’ in standing water. The candelabra Primula group is no different. Most are water-loving primroses that prefer cool summers. They thrive in moisture-retentive, humus-rich soil that is slightly acidic. Plant in a partially shady location away from the hot summer sun, but not in deep shade. They do well in a north-facing shady wet border, damp woodland garden or at the edge of a stream or pond.

Candelabra primulas are low maintenance clump-forming plants that happily self-seed year after year. If they start growing where you don’t want them to grow in, they are easy to remove.

Add rich organic matter and mulch in late winter or by early spring to feed and help prevent the soil from drying out. Keeps their roots cool too during the summer. Care should be taken to ensure the soil never dries out. They are not tolerant to dry conditions. Ensure these primroses receive regular water throughout the summer.

When they have finished their cycle of flowering, remove the stems with the wilted flowers. Some candelabra primulas keep their leaves green through to winter, at which time they die back. Winter care is minimum. In colder regions where cold temperature fluctuates, leave the faded leaves to help insulate the primrose root zone. At the end of winter, remove the faded old leaves and tidy the area from any dead matter to be ready for regrowth in spring.They will reliably return year after year.