About
A male cultivar of Ilex aquifolium with dark, prickle-edged, glossy, evergreen leaves and abundant small, white flowers in late spring. A reliable pollinator for female hollies in a mixed planting, with an upright to broadly spreading habit.
About the genus
Primula are herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials, forming a basal rosette of simple leaves, with salver-shaped or bell-shaped flowers which may be solitary or carried in an umbel or in whorls on an erect stem
Growing conditions
SunlightPartial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Rock garden, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants
Native toE Siberia to Japan
Care notes
CultivationGrow in partial shade, in deep humus-rich, moist, neutral to acid loam soil; tolerates full sun if the soil remains moist at all times. See primula cultivation for further advice
PruningTidy plant after flowering and remove diseased or damaged leaves
PropagationPropagate by division as it comes into growth or propagate by seed
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, leafhoppers, vine weevil and slugs
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to a virus, grey moulds (botrytis) or primula brown core