Primula eliator Gold Lace Red - Oxlip

The Primrose or Primula eliator 'Gold Lace Red' is a hardy perennial or biennial plant with a particularly unique spring flowering. It produces upright stems, adorned with flowers in unusual, contrasting tones: a collar of carmine red petals edged with white surrounds a golden yellow throat. This lovely variety, which should be placed near a pathway to fully appreciate the design of its flowers, will brighten up the partially shaded areas of the garden in a humus-rich, fertile and moist soil.

The Primula eliator, also known as the Tall Primrose or Woodland Primrose, is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to Europe's native flora and is often found in the semi-shade of open woodlands or at the edge of forests. When abundant, the oxlip is an indicator of ancient forests, relatively undisturbed by human activity.

This plant has produced many short-lived perennial hybrids through crossbreeding with the Common Primrose (Primula vulgaris), which are mostly cultivated as biennial plants. This 'Gold Lace Red' primrose blooms from April to June. On each plant, 2 or 3 floral stems, 20 cm (8in) in height, bear clusters of 4 to 5 simple, slightly fragrant flowers. These flowers have rounded petals, bright carmine red in colour, finely edged with white, arranged in a collar around a bright yellow centre. Their highly contrasting colours are highlighted by evergreen foliage in rosettes of large, dark green, wavy leaves, which are decorative even outside of the flowering season.

The eliator primroses are less well-known than the stemless primroses, but they have their own advantages: they are taller, hardier, more perennial, and their flowering is also more spectacular. They make excellent companions for shade-loving perennials in lightly shaded and moist woodland areas, such as heucheras, Brunnera, Anemone nemorosa, pansies, horned violets, or hostas. They can also be used to decorate the terrace, window, or balcony, planted in planters that will brighten up the dreary days of winter. They also look lovely in a simple bouquet, a rare gift that is always a pleasure to give or receive at this time of year.