Auricles have been forgotten. They were once considered favorite collector's items in the upper classes of society. Throughout its history, many plant lovers have devoted themselves to breeding new varieties. This resulted in forms that are being rediscovered today.
The auricle is one of the most beautiful primrose species
Table of Contents
Show all- sorts
- Alpine gentian (Gentiana alpina) with its intense blue flowers
- Sweet violet (Viola odorata) with bright violet flowers
- Christmas roses (Helleborus niger) as white flowers
- Vineyard Tulips (Tuipa sylvestris) with nodding flower bells
- water more frequently during the summer with small amounts of water
- drain excess water
- let dry before winter
- stop watering in winter
- Candida: Grey-white powdered petals, base color black. Growth height 15 centimeters.
- Emmett Smith: Golden-yellow flower center, edged dark. Petals red, tinged with orange to brown. Growth height 15 centimeters.
- Ellen Thomsen: White to off-white centre, edged with dark. Petals red-violet, tinged blue to red. Height ten centimetres.
- doyen: double flower. Petals tinged red-violet. Growth height 15 centimeters.
origin
Auricula is a plant species with the Latin name Primula auricula, which belongs to the primula genus. This plant is found in the mountainous regions. Their area extends over the western part of the Northern Limestone Alps including the Jura. It occurs in the Black Forest and has some relict sites in the Bavarian Alpine foothills. Outside of Germany, their range extends from the Pyrenees through Switzerland to Vorarlberg and Tyrol in Austria. Auricula grow wild in southwestern Poland and Slovakia.
Auricula are found on calcareous soils and debris. They appear in crevices and conquer altitudes of up to 2,900 meters. Wild forms, originating from the mountainous regions of Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria, were cultivated in Nuremberg as early as the late 15th century. The plants cultivated today as auricles come from a natural crossing of two wild-growing primula species. Primula auricula and Primula hirsuta formed the hybrid auricula, Primula × pubescens. This form gave rise to a wide range of cultivated forms, which are collectively offered under the name garden auricula.
growth
The primula species grow as evergreen plants that keep their leaves through the winter. They are persistent and herbaceous. Auricles reach heights of growth between five and 25 centimeters. This makes the wild auriculus the largest primula in the alpine region. Your plant parts are covered by a delicate mealy dust.
blossom
Auricles carry dolige inflorescences, which are composed of four to twelve flowers. The individual flowers exude a more or less intense scent. They are hermaphroditic and develop diameters between 15 and 25 millimeters. Their five-fold structure leads to a radial symmetry.
The flowers have a double perianth, which consists of five sepals and petals. The sepals are fused together and form a bell. Five petals are fused at their base, creating a corolla tube. It ends in five splayed corolla lobes. The calyx is about half as long as the corolla tube.
flower color
Wild-growing Primula auricula develops light yellow petals, while Primula hirsuta bears bright pink to purple flowers. The color palette of the cultivated forms is far more comprehensive. It ranges from white to yellow and pink to various shades of red and violet tones. They bloom between April and July.
fruit
The fruits of the wild forms ripen between September and October. In cultivated plants, the time of fruit ripening is variable. Auricles develop spherical capsule fruits, they open in the final stage of maturity and scatter the seeds. The capsules contain numerous elongated seeds that have a brown-black surface. They are light germinators that need a cold stimulus to germinate. The seeds are spread by wind and rain.
leaves
Auricles develop a basal rosette with simple leaves. They develop a length between two and 12 centimeters. The leaf blades are narrow and obovate to lanceolate in shape. The leaf margin is entire or notched and partially provided with a cartilaginous margin.
The leaves serve as a water reservoir, which makes them appear coarse and fleshy. Its leaf surface is grey-green in color and is covered by a glossy layer of wax, which serves as protection against evaporation. There are numerous short glandular hairs on the leaf blade, which, like the wax layer, counteract excessive loss of liquid.
use
The primrose varieties are associated with the typical cottage garden. Here the herbaceous plants grow on the edges of beds, where they can spread unhindered. Auricles form magnificent carpets in the right location. As heralds of spring, they breathe new life into the rock garden after winter. Together with other plants of the mountain regions, the auriculus conjures up a wildly romantic mountain backdrop in the alpine garden.
These old garden treasures suit the alpine garden:
The beauties are often put on display in so-called Aurikel theaters. This performance is based on a historical example. Wooden floors or racks served as showcases, the walls of which are painted black. They were fitted with mirrors and decorated with curtains. Today, the old Aurikel varieties are traditionally offered in clay pots, provided with an official-looking real wood label.
Poisonous
All plant parts of the auricle are poisonous. The main active ingredient are saponins, which are highly concentrated in the root. In addition, the plants contain various oils and traces of esters. Make sure that children and pets do not accidentally eat the flowers and leaves.
Skin contact may cause dermatitis. An allergen is responsible for the allergic reactions. Repeated touching reduces skin sensitivity. The reactions are weaker. If you are unsure, you should wear gloves as a precaution.
location
The breathtaking alpine plants prefer a bright spot in a sheltered location. The leaves do not like direct midday sun. Look for a semi-shady location. The plants are adapted to dry growth places.
Earth
The substrate should have a high level of permeability, as the delicate roots do not tolerate waterlogging. Mix sand or gravel (€46.95) under the soil to improve its structure. Auricula thrive on neutral to slightly calcareous soil. Place the alpine plants on gravel or calcareous rock to ensure optimal conditions for them.
planting time
Auricula can be planted between spring and fall. If you place the plants outdoors between September and October, they can already fully develop their flowers in the following spring. The alpine plants do not have high space requirements. There is space for up to 25 copies in one square meter.
propagation
You can propagate garden auricles by division, completely digging up the root ball and freeing the roots from the soil. The roots are divided at the visible separation areas. Use a sharp and sanitized knife to get a clean cut. Let the cut surfaces dry briefly and plant the sections in a prepared planting hole.
The ideal time for propagation is between September and October. It is recommended when the auricle has developed dense populations. This method allows you to rejuvenate the plant and further cultivate the characteristics of the parent species.
sowing
Alpine plants can be propagated generatively by seeds. You need to be patient with this method. The offspring may develop different flower colors. They combine the genetic material of two parent plants.
You can sow the collected seeds in the same year after flowering. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil to protect them from drying out. After a cold stimulus, the seeds quickly begin to germinate. A cold exposure at night is enough to encourage the seeds to grow. With this method, there is a risk that the plants will not develop quickly enough until winter. You then need antifreeze.
Prefer
As an alternative to sowing in autumn, you can prefer the seeds in January. Use a potting soil mixed with sand, perlite or gravel as a substrate. Slightly moisten the soil and sprinkle the seeds evenly over the substrate. Place the planter in a bright place with temperatures between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius and check the moisture in the substrate daily.
In the pot
Auricula are perfect for pot planting because they don't take up much space. Choose a pot that is 12 inches in diameter. It gives you better control of the water supply. You can also easily move the small pot.
The bucket should be at least 20 centimeters deep so that the taproots can spread optimally. It should have a drainage hole to ensure water drainage. Don't put the pot on a saucer, because the water shouldn't accumulate. To prevent waterlogging, you can put drainage on the bottom of the bucket.
Pour
During the growth phase, the substrate should not dry out completely. The plant can cope with short periods of drought. Prolonged drought or waterlogging causes them problems. If necessary, water the plant sparingly with rainwater. They tolerate irrigation water with a higher lime content.
How to properly pour auricles:
Fertilize
The primrose species do not need to be fertilized because they draw their nutrients from the substrate. Do not use compost to avoid over-fertilization. You can apply some orchid fertilizer at a low concentration right after flowering. This stimulates growth.
transplant
If you cultivate your auricula in a pot, you should repot the plant every two to three years. It is not necessary to use a larger bucket. You can continue to use the old planter because the roots will not spread further. The earth change is more important in this measure. This prevents diseases and gives the plant fresh nutrients. The ideal time for repotting is early autumn. At this time you can combine repotting with propagation by division.
hibernate
Auricles are extremely resilient, owing to their original origins. This makes them hardy plants that do not require winter protection when cultivated outdoors. Potted plants also prove to be unproblematic in winter. If the substrate has dried out before the onset of winter, the soil ball can freeze over. It doesn't harm the auricle. In October, place the tub under a roof to protect the plant from rain.
Overwintering in the house is possible. The Aurikel likes a very cold winter quarters. It does not necessarily have to be a frost-free room. If the plant sprout in winter, you should water it occasionally and place the bucket in a bright place.
pests
The most common pest on primroses is the vine weevil. But the auricle is not safe from snail damage either.
vine weevil
The larval stage lives in the soil and damages the roots of the auricles. When your plant is infested, vigor suddenly drops. Dig up the plant and remove the remains of the substrate from the roots. The creamy white larvae grow to about one centimeter in length and are visible to the naked eye. To prevent the pests from spreading, you should kill the larvae.
Adult animals appear more frequently in autumn. The beetles can be identified by their proboscis, which they use to eat irregularly shaped indentations in the leaf edges. The pests are nocturnal and will fall to the ground when threatened. Place pots filled with fresh grass under the plant. Check the traps daily and collect out the bugs caught in them. You can prevent vine weevils from laying eggs by scattering small pebbles on the ground.
snails
In spring, snails are one of the most feared pests that cause enormous damage to the freshly sprouting plants. Adult specimens quickly regenerate from damage. Since they appear unattractive after being eaten by snails, the pests should be prevented from spreading through sharp-edged stones or wood ash.
lice
Auricula planted in late summer can be attacked by root lice. They weaken the plants and transmit viruses. Accompanying weeds serve as host plants for the pests. So keep your crops free of weeds.
In the open ground, green and black aphids can occasionally appear, which settle on the leaves and suck out plant juices. As a countermeasure, we recommend spraying the plant with soapy water or a decoction of nettle leaves.
not blooming
Auricles are sensitive to excessive nutrient supply. Too much fertilizer can cause plants to become lazy. Hibernation also has an influence on flowering. The alpine plants need a cold overwintering. If they are too warm during the winter months, they will bloom poorly or not at all in the coming spring.
tips
Many strains develop a white coating on their buds reminiscent of flour dust. It is formed by the waxy hairs and serves as protection against evaporation. If rain falls on the flowers during flowering, water stains can occur. This does not harm the plant, but the flowers look ugly for a short time. Therefore protect these sensitive varieties from the rain. A garden glass hood or an upside-down lantern is suitable for this.