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Common Name:

General Information

Primula macrophylla is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.25 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - Himalayas from Afghanistan to China.

Habitat

Grassy mountain slopes, rock crevices, wet meadows and marshes at elevations of 4000 - 5200 metres[]..

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.25 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of high alpine areas, it is of difficult cultivation in Britain[]. In the wild it experiences wet summers, relatively dry autumns and long winters under a blanket of snow that protects the bulb-like resting bud[]. It is best to give the plants a deep, well-drained soil in a sunny position with the added protection of a pane of glass[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, it is said to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[]. Antidiarrhetic, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge, it is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, inflammation of the liver, gall bladder, stomach and intestines[]. It is especially used for children with high fever and diarrhoea[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[]. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame[]. Germination is inhibited by temperatures above 20°c[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in autumn. This is best done every other year[].