Morphological characterisation and the evaluation of growth and development of cultivated Primula veris L. plants were done according to different origin of seeds which the cultivated populations were started from and to two types of row spacing applied in the experimental plots. For each plant the number of leaves per plant and the rosette diameter were determined. At the flowering phase the number of scapes per plant, as well as the numbers of buds, flowers and fruits per plant and per scape were determined. The level of saponin content, converted to primulic acid, in rhizomes and roots of cowslip plants from natural and cultivated populations was assessed by means of the densytometric method. The growth and development of cowslip plants under cultivation conditions were more intensive at the plant spacing of 40 x 30, whereas fewer leaves dried on plants at the spacing of 30 x 15. The number of leaves and the diameter of leaf rosettes of the studied plants had a significant influence on the number of scapes per plant as well as on the number of flowers and fruits per plant. The saponin content in the underground organs of cowslip plants increased by 0.8-4.0% after transferring plants from natural habitats to cultivation conditions.