As its name implies, primrose is a flower that emerges early after winter and colors the fields yellow, red and blue.
Primula veris belongs to the Primulaceae family, is widespread in Mediterranean and temperate countries, but is also found above 2500 meters.
Appearance: The plant usually grows to a height of 10-30 cm. It produces rosettes of crinkled, oblong to lance-shaped leaves that are green on the top and lighter on the underside. The flowers are bright yellow, bell-shaped, and are borne in umbrella-like clusters at the top of tall, leafless stalks.
Habitat: Primrose prefers open meadows, grassy areas, and coastal dunes. It thrives in well-draining soils and full sun to partial shade.
Uses: Beyond its ornamental value, primrose has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes. The plant is believed to have diuretic, sedative, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, one should always consult with a healthcare professional before using plants for medicinal purposes.
Conservation: In some regions, the number of wild primrose populations has decreased due to habitat destruction and over-collection for medicinal use. Efforts have been made to conserve and reintroduce this species in its natural habitats.
Cultivation: Primrose can be propagated by seed or by dividing mature plants in the spring or fall. They are relatively easy to grow and care for, making them a popular choice for gardens.
Many species of primroses, about 400, including :
- Primula auriculata
- Primula tibetica
- Primula undulifolia sp.nov. recently discovered in China
- Primula carolinella Hemsl with 12 subspecies
- Primula sinensis Sabine ex Lindley
- Primula poissonii
Applications
Medical
Primrose is an important medicinal plant with documented use for the treatment of gout, headaches, and migraines dating back to the Middle Ages. Triterpene saponins from roots and flowers are used in phytotherapeutic treatments against bronchitis and colds for their expectorant and secretolytic effects. Two flavonoids, six flavonoid glycosides, four new denatured flavonoid glycosides, five anthocyanins and three triterpene saponins have been identified in alcoholic extracts of petals, leaves and roots (1).
Traditional Medicine: Primula veris has been used in traditional European medicine (2) for various ailments, such as coughs, respiratory issues, and sleep disturbances.
Cosmetic Products: Due to its potential soothing and antioxidant properties, it can be found in lotions, creams, and other skincare products.
Herbal Teas: The leaves and flowers of primrose can be used to prepare herbal teas.
Properties
- Soothing: primrose is believed to have soothing properties that can help calm irritated skin.
- Antioxidant: It may contain antioxidants that help shield the skin from free radical damage.
- Expectorant: In traditional medicine, it's used as an expectorant to aid in coughs and respiratory conditions.
References_______________________________________________________________
(1) Apel L, Kammerer DR, Stintzing FC, Spring O. Comparative Metabolite Profiling of Triterpenoid Saponins and Flavonoids in Flower Color Mutations of Primula veris
Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Jan 13;18(1). pii: E153. doi: 10.3390/ijms18010153.
Abstract. Primula veris L. is an important medicinal plant with documented use for the treatment of gout, headache and migraine reaching back to the Middle Ages. Triterpenoid saponins from roots and flowers are used in up-to-date phytotherapeutic treatment of bronchitis and colds due to their expectorant and secretolytic effects. In addition to the wild type plants with yellow petals, a red variant and an intermediate orange form of Primula veris L. have recently been found in a natural habitat. The secondary metabolite profiles of roots, leaves and flowers of these rare variants were investigated and compared with the wild type metabolome. Two flavonoids, six flavonoid glycosides, four novel methylated flavonoid glycosides, five anthocyanins and three triterpenoid saponins were identified in alcoholic extracts from the petals, leaves and roots of the three variants by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection (DAD)/mass spectrometry (MSn) analyses. Anthocyanins were detected in the petals of the red and orange variety, but not in the wild type. No other effects on the metabolite profiles of the three varieties have been observed. The possibility is discussed that a regulatory step of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway may have been affected by mutation thus triggering color polymorphism in the petals.
(2) Graikou K, Mpishinioti A, Tsafantakis N, Maloupa E, Grigoriadou K, Chinou I. Comparative Phytochemical Analyses of Flowers from Primula veris subsp. veris Growing Wild and from Ex Situ Cultivation in Greece. Foods. 2023 Jul 6;12(13):2623. doi: 10.3390/foods12132623. PMID: 37444361; PMCID: PMC10341331.
Abstract. In the last decades, Primula veris subsp. veris (roots and flowers) has been over harvested through legal and illegal ways in Greece, due to its extremely high commercial demand, as it is used in industry because of its well-known therapeutic properties. As ex situ cultures of the plant have been already developed, in the current comparative study, the herbal teas (infusions) from both flowers of cowslip growing wild in the Prespa Lake Park (NW Greece), and from ex situ propagated and cultivated plant material, have been investigated, with the ultimate goal of assessing them qualitatively. Furthermore, through classic phytochemical studies, the ten most abundant metabolites, belonging to the chemical categories of flavonol-glycosides and methoxy flavones, have been identified and structurally determined. The chemical profile of both infusions has been further analyzed through UHPLC-HRMS, showing that they show only light differences. The total phenolic content (TPC) of both studied samples (wild and ex situ cultivation), was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau method, followed by an antioxidant activity assay though DPPH where, in both cases, wild plants exerted higher phenolic load and stronger antioxidative properties. According to the reported results, it could be proposed that the ex situ cultivated plant material could facilitate the mass production of plants and the sustainable cultivation of cowslip in the Greek mountains.
Primrose 
