Horticultural cultivar from the Primula x pubescens group, an alpine-origin hybrid resulting from the cross between Primula auricula and Primula hirsuta, family of Primulaceae. This cultivar belongs to the category of auriculas known as "green-edged" or with unusually colored petals, which are the subject of specialized horticultural selection, particularly within British alpine plant societies.
'Karen Cordrey' is a compact perennial forming a dense rosette, reaching 8 to 12 cm in height when in bloom. The foliage is medium to bright green, fleshy, with a distinctly wavy and crenellated margin.
The flower is what makes this cultivar quite unique in the group. The petals display a complex and unusual coloration, combining a grayish-green background with deep brown-black marbling and patches, almost chocolate, enhanced by a large, heavily farinose white eye and a golden yellow to bright orange heart. The buds, a dark brown-violet, already hint at this strange palette. In cultivation, flowering occurs in April-May.
This type of coloration, which radically departs from the usual pinks and purples of the group, meets selection criteria specific to specialized collectors. Pot culture under cold shelter, in a very well-drained substrate, is recommended to preserve the quality of the foliage and flowers and to avoid any stagnant moisture in winter.