Cowslip - Primula veris

Description

Low to short hairy plant. Leaves oblong and abruptly narrowing into the stalk. Flowers deep yellow 9 to 15 mm with orange markings in the centre, sweetly fragrant up to 30 in nodding one-sided cluster.

Similar Species

Primroses and 'Polyanthas' escaped from gardens.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Grassy habitats, meadows and pastures etc.  It is often introduced as seed or small plants in natural landscaping schemes

When to see it

April and May.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Less common than previously in Britain having suffered a severe decline. It can however be quite abundant where it is found.

 

VC55 Status

In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 288 of the 617 tetrads.

In the current Checklist (Jeeves, 2011) it is listed as Native; old grassland, avoiding acid soils; locally abundant.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Cowslip
Species group:
flowering plant
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Ericales
Family:
Primulaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
470
First record:
11/05/1992 (John Mousley;Steve Grover)
Last record:
13/04/2026 (Katie Field)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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Latest images

Latest records

Photo of the association

Chromatomyia primulae

The larva of the Agromyzid fly Chromatomyia primulae mines the leaves of Primrose and Cowslip. The leafmine is white and in long, narrow corridors. Frass usually appears as large, well-spaced grains.