Primula parryi / Parry’s primrose

Adjectives: dramatic, exposed, highly visible, native, nutrient poor soils, showy, striking

The flowers of Parry’s primrose are a striking, bright magenta (or pink) typically found at higher altitudes along streams, on waterfall ledges, snow-melt areas, and other wet areas. It loves to have its “feet” wet. In the Valley, you can find this at the Darby Wind Cave with the brook saxifrage. The inflorescence is an umbel, with 3 to 30, 5-petaled flowers with yellow centers.  The flowers point to the side, basically 90˚ to the stem, due to twists of the pedicels.

The herbaceous part of this perennial grows as clumped rosettes (usually) with broadly lance-shaped to egg-shaped, upward pointing leathery leaves. However, the leaves, in contrast with the striking beauty of the flowers, have a down side: even the slightest touch causes them to release an odor that is rankly aromatic, foetid, skunk-like or carrion-like.

Nevertheless, with its brilliant green foliage this plant – the most common native primrose in the west –   is a rewarding treat to high country hikers that venture in the summer to the edge of melting snow or other high, moist areas.