Cowslip is a Spring wildflower
We find Cowslips Primula veris often around here and it’s a chalk grassland indicator species. The main image above shows it growing in short grass in May on the chalky South Downs. In the photograph it’s growing alongside Bird’s Foot Trefoil and Speedwell.
Primula veris likes short grass
I’ve noticed that Cowslips can often be found where the grass is kept short by thin soil or grazing animals such as rabbits.
Cowslips have heavily wrinkled leaves with leaf stalks gradually tapered towards the base. The leaves are up to about 15cm long. The yellow flowers grow in an umbel in clusters of ten or more. The flowers spread out within the umbel, pointing in all directions and often drooping. The small butter yellow flowers are each up to about 1cm across with an orange stripe inside. The flowers are cup shaped.
Cowslips will self-seed prolifically where happy!
Comparing Oxslip with Cowslip
Cowslips are superficially similar to Oxslips Primula eliator although this is not a concern for me locally as they don’t grow in Sussex to any extent.
- Oxslip is much less widely spread across the UK, being focussed mainly around East Anglia
- Oxslip prefers damp woodlands
- The Oxslip leaves can be smoother
- Oxslip flowers tend to be lemon yellow rather than butter yellow
- Oxslip flowers tend to be larger at up to 1.5cm across
- An umbel of Oxslip tends to have all the individual flowers pointing in the same direction
- Oxslip flowers are funnel shaped
I have labelled posts mentioning Cowslip – Primula veris with the tag Cowslip
https://photographingwildflowers.co.uk/tag/cowslip/
See also Primrose Primula vulgaris
Read more about chalk grassland species and how land management can help to protect them. Chalk grassland is a species rich habitat which supports a wealth of wildflowers and biodiversity.