Parry’s Primrose, Primula parryi, is a flower that I can’t help but be excited about finding. Brilliant magenta petals, a yellow ‘eye’ and long, bright green leaves combine to make quite an attractive sight.
This wildflower loves high elevations and lots of moisture, so much so that it is often found on the edge of alpine snowmelt streams, where sometimes taking a photo requires a delicate balancing act!
Compared to a lot of subalpine and alpine vegetation, this flower grows quite tall and leafy. It is often in company with the equally water-loving mountain marsh marigolds, especially in areas of recent snowmelt.
I usually find lush bunches of Parry’s primrose in late June
and July in the higher parts of the Snowy Range, but in this dry year in which most of the snowpack is already gone, their numbers have been much fewer.
This plant has a somewhat harsh scent when disturbed that has been described as smelling like carrion. While I think that analogy is a bit overstated, there is a slightly unpleasant odor associated with this species that might serve to attract pollinating flies. So, you don’t necessarily need to stop and smell these roses, but do stop and admire them!
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