Cowslip
Primula veris
Cowslip is a perennial for edging, groundcover, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or chalk, flowering Apr, May.
| Type | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 25 cm |
| Spread | 20 cm |
| Aspect | full sun to partial shade |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 4a-8b, RHS H7 |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | No |
Where to use it in a border
At around 25 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 20 cm of room to spread, roughly 5 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 4a to 8b and rated H7 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, chalk soil, pollinator-friendly plants.
Border Builder uses Cowslip's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
Worth knowing
- Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- Bee Balm 'Jacob Cline'for height behind it
- Betonyto edge in front
- Burnet 'Tanna'to flower when it does not
- Common Knapweedto flower when it does not
- Common poppyto flower when it does not
- Coneflower 'Cheyenne Spirit'for height behind it
Garden styles
Cottage garden Meadow Native Wildlife garden
Sources
Bloom timing and hardiness drawn from: