Garden Auricula

by Robert Tonkin

The word auricula in gardening circles can take on many different meanings. Here we are going to speak of the common garden auricula, always a hybrid of the species Primula auricula, and other members of the Auriculastrum section of the genus Primula. The twenty one plus species of this section of the genus come from the mountains of central and southern Europe. They are found in alpine regions, are typically small to minute and are very well suited to rock gardens and troughs. Hybrids of the species auricula can be found in cultivation and botanical literature going back to 1570. It is believed that the thousands of auricula hybrids, classified commonly as; garden, alpine, self and exhibition or "show" auricula trace their origins to the crossing of P. auricula and P. hirsuta in the wild. From the sixteenth century to today, “Florists”, a term used for men who grow, breed and exhibited auricula, have provided thousands of hybrids of every color of the rainbow. Gardeners with a fancy for these beautiful flowers can find extensive literature on the subject over the past four hundred plus years.

Fortunately for us the common garden auricula is very hardy, very easy to grow, and provides our Alaska gardens with nearly every shade of flower a grower can ask for. The garden auricula is certainly a very suitable place for a gardener to start their introduction to growing primula in our climate.

Auricula have an undeserved reputation for being difficult to grow. To the contrary they are one of the easiest of primula to grow IF their simple requirements are met.  Like all primula, auricula like good rich well fed soil with plenty of humus. Unlike many primula, auricula prefer a soil on the sweet side. Often the addition of lime or ground up oyster shell mixed well into the rich soil will be met with much better results than leaving those materials out. Auricula demand well drained soil! They simply will not survive in water that does not drain from their crowns and feet. If you can manage to do so, mix rich sweet soil with small gravel (1/4”) or sand in the proportions of 2 parts rich soil to one part grit/stone/sand. Planting at an angle to the horizon will also ensure proper drainage. Rock gardens on the sides of hills are ideal homes for garden auricula.

Most auricula will grow in pots and containers such as troughs, although their mortality in severe winters rises when this is done. Auricula in pots wish to have their roots hug the side of the container they are in and will often languish or perish when planted in the centers of larger containers.

Auricula will tolerate more sun and periods of drier soil that most other primula. In those rare summer days when rain seems not to be forthcoming, don’t forget to provide your auricula a good soaking with the rest of the garden. Slugs don’t seem to like the auricula, making them even more attractive to a garden plagued with these pests.

Garden auricula  are VERY hardy. John O’Brien Sr, one of the most experienced growers of auricula in Alaska and founder of the Juneau Primrose Chapter, has passed along auricula to friends in the Yukon where they have survived decades of thirty below winters. In the ground they seem to handle the typical freeze thaw cycles we experience here much better than many other primula. If you have “special” garden auricula that have been passed on to you or purchased from the many sources known, the addition of a spruce bough cover in the winter will help protect your plants through these cycles.

Often you will find in the spring that the crowns of the auricula have grown right out of the ground. You can either add additional soil to the crown area, being careful not to cover the crown or leaves as this will rot and kill the plant, or dig them up and replant them at soil level. If you have some pea gravel, place a handful around the crown.

   Every three to five years a healthy bed of auricula should be lifted, separated and replanted to ensure vigor and provide some “pass along plants” to friends and neighbors. These gifts are especially useful when your plants expire without reason, as you can beg a piece of your gift back again! Slide a spade into the earth around your plants, lift them out of the ground, gently shake and pull as much of the soil off that will come, and place the root clump in a large bucket of water to stand for a few hours to remove the remaining soil. Using a sharp knife cut the “carrots” you find away from each other. Leave any root carrot that does not have feeder roots off of it on the main clump. Replant the clumps in replenished well-drained soil. Some folks balk at digging up favorite beds and replanting, but doing so is very beneficial.

   Auricula are easy to grow from seed, however keep in mind all garden auricula are hybrids and will not come true to seed. This means if you take seed from that lovely pink, red, or sky blue garden auricula from your friends garden, or pick out seed from the exchanges or catalogs by color, chances are high you won’t end up with the plant looking like its parent. Stunning auricula are always sought after. Try your hand with some of the more common types to become acquainted with their character. Visit friends rock gardens to see their collections. It has been my experience that auricula growers the world over are very generous folks. Exhibit a bit of horticultural understanding and desire and in no time you will have a collection to share and trade with other “Auricula Nuts”.

The picture above is from one of my auricula beds. The photo was taken in the spring of 2006. The plants pictured come from seed of Herb Dickson's pastel line which was passed on to me by Cheri Fluck a number of years ago when I was getting started growing auricula.

Cheers,

Robert Tonkin