Cowslip hybrid or just variation? (1 Viewer)

[Andy Lakin]

Spotted on the walk to see the scoters near Leven. I'm assuming it is a cowslip but haven't seen anything similar before colour wise.
Cheers
Andy

 

[Butty]

Yes, cowslip - and not a hybrid. I think such things may well be natural but also possibly a garden escape.

 

[Andy Lakin]

Yes, cowslip - and not a hybrid. I think such things may well be natural but also possibly a garden escape.

Thanks I could see people paying good money for a plant like this for their garden.

 

[KC Foggin]

It sure is a beautiful plant!

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I think a lot of crossing in genus Primula goes on in Gardens , so that may be the reason for the genes causing this flower color in wild populations. Primula veris, elatior and vulgaris can also cross in the wild.

I was aware of this,
but did not know how easily it happened.
In my own garden I had Primula veris (about 50 plants), when I planted a single black-flowered garden form of Primula elatior. That readily crossed with Primula veris, resulting in plants with a reddish brown flower color and intermediate flower size. the hybrids were fertile , crossed among themselves and with Primula veris and Primula x pruhoniciana (i did not intend this and did not expect how easily hybrids appear), and splitting up in unexpected ways ... one surprise was that pale flowered individual plants appeared in the population , with the flower color of wild P.elatior, but there were also several orange to reddish brown colorations with flower shape close to P. veris ...

So Butty may well be right that the genes for that color might have come from a garden plant...