The cowslip (Primula veris), popularly known as spring cowslip, cowslip or meadow primrose, is one of the first heralds of spring with its striking, bright yellow flowers.
Cowslips show their beautiful yellow flowers from March
Cowslip is one of the early bloomers
The perennial, which is native to almost all of Central Europe and the Near East, welcomes spring in northern and central Germany from around mid to late March and shows its bright yellow flowers well into May. In more southern regions, however, especially in Austria and Slovenia, this pretty spring bloomer can often be spotted as early as February.
Flowering times of the other cowslip species
The wild form of the cowslip (Primula elatior), also known as the wild cowslip, usually blooms from March, when funnel-shaped, light yellow flowers appear on the stems that are up to 15 centimeters high. The also native stalkless cowslip (Primula vulgaris) is a rosette-forming perennial. The leaf rosette of this plant hibernates in order to start flowering early - in good weather often as early as February. In heat or drought, the perennial pulls in its leaves for up to six months, only to thrive again in autumn.
tips
Cowslips tend to hybridize - also with other, closely related primrose species. If you want to avoid hybridization, you should plan a safety distance between the species or remove the infructescence in good time.