The flowers are magenta to deep lavender to white, with the stamens thrust out and the sepals bent back.

It is highly variable and hybridizes with Primula clevelandii, from which it can be distinguished by its reddish or purplish stem.

In California, it occurs in the northwest (except the north coast), the Cascade Range, the Sierra Nevada foothills, the Central Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, the north Inner South Coast Ranges, and the San Bernardino Mountains.

It is generally found in open woodlands, from sea level in British Columbia, up to 1,900 m (6,234 ft) altitude in California.

For some plants, with frequent light fertilization and moisture, dormancy may be delayed, and flowering time may be decreased to 1–2 years.