| Primula frondosa | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Primulaceae |
| Genus: | Primula |
| Species: | P. frondosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Primula frondosa | |
Primula frondosa, the leafy primrose (Bulgarian: Старопланинска иглика), is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to the Balkans. It inhabits shady spots in a small region of the central Balkan Mountains range in Bulgaria, where it is found at altitudes from 800 to 2,200 m.[2] Its populations are situated within the boundaries of the Central Balkan National Park and the nature reserves Sokolna, Dzhendema and Stara Reka.[2]
Growing to 27 cm (11 in) tall by 10 cm (3.9 in) broad, it is a short-lived herbaceous perennial with a rosette of leaves surrounding the central stem. The leaves are covered in a mealy, flour-like substance (farinose). In spring, the plant bears loose umbels of pink flowers with a prominent yellow eye.[2]
In cultivation in the United Kingdom, P. frondosa has been given the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[3][4] It grows well in acidic soils, in similar conditions to those of its cool alpine home.[5]