A dense mass of flower covers this rosette-forming species in the Mountains House.
At this time of year the Mountains House displays a host of delicate, eye-catching species from alpine zones around the world including this charming plant. A native of limestone cliffs and crevices of the mountains of France and Italy, Primula allionii occurs at altitudes between 700 and 1900m. It produces a compact rosette of entire, scalloped or finely-toothed, hairy, grey-green leaves. From these emerge umbels of one to five flowers, which vary in colour from white to pale pink to reddish purple, but all have a white eye. This is a challenging species in cultivation, requiring a gritty compost and protection from the wet. P. allionii has given rise to many named cultivars, some of which can be seen alongside the species here in the Mountains House.