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A petiolarid primula that I bought from Hartside Nursery at the AGS Pershore Spring Show. Their label says: "P. whitei x P. sonchifolia. A vigorous form with royal blue flowers with a white throat. Jan - April." Keith Wiley wrote in the Fortescue Garden trust catalogue in 1985-6: "An unfortunate name for a lovely Petiolarid Primula. Silver mealed winter rosettes produce their central violet-blue flowers in profusion in early spring." In 'The Plantsman' for 1985, John Richards writes: "During the 1970s, the late Betty Sherriff, who together with her husband and Frank Ludlow introduced all these plants into cultivation, grew P. whitei. P. bhutanica and P. sonchifolia together in quantity in her garden at over 300m (1000ft) near Kirriemuir in the east of Scotland, where they self-sowed freely. Not surprisingly, a number of hybrids arose, and it is from the most attractive and vigorous of these that this hybrid [Sheffiff's Variety], and the following one almost certainly arose. P. whitei x sonchifolia 'Soup Plate' is a larger plant than the foregoing, with longer leaves which form a 'ruff' around the large number of purpley blue flowers which cluster in the centre. It is a vigorous and spectacular plant when well-grown, but some individuals of it at least show symptoms of virus." |
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| 24th February 2019 | ||
