Primula veris
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 Primula veris in flower
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| Primula veris L. |
Primula veris (Cowslip) is a flowering plant in the genus Primula, native throughout most of temperate Europe and Asia although absent from more northerly areas including northern Scotland.
It is a low growing herbaceous perennial plant with a rosette of leaves 5-15 cm long and 2-6 cm broad. The deep yellow flowers are produced in the spring between April and May; they are in clusters of 10-30 together on a single stem 5-20 cm tall, each flower 9-15 mm broad.
It is frequently found on more open ground than Primula vulgaris (Primrose) including open fields, meadows, and coastal dunes and clifftops. It is often included in wild-flower seed mixes used to landscape motorway banks and similar civil engineering earth-works where it may be seen in dense stands.
It may be confused with the closely related Primula elatior (Oxlip) which has a similar general appearance although the Oxlip has larger, pale yellow flowers more like a Primrose, and a corolla tube without folds.
Cowslip is a favourite food of wild rabbits.
It is used medicinally as a diuretic, an expectorant, and an antispasmodic, as well as for the treatment of headaches, whooping cough, tremors, and other conditions.
An ancient name for the plant is "paigle" (origin unknown).
The Cowslip is the county flower, of three counties in England, these are Northamptonshire, Surrey, and Worcestershire.
