About
Colchicum autumnale 'Pleniflorum' is a sturdy perennial that grows up to 15 cm tall. It features elongated, strap-like leaves that can reach lengths of 35 cm, which emerge during the winter and persist through spring. In autumn, this variety produces 1 to 6 compact, double blooms measuring 4 to 6 cm in length. The flowers display narrow tepals, typically pinkish-lilac in hue, extending up to 7 cm, complemented by golden anthers. This species serves as a valuable late-season pollen source for honeybees.
About the genus
Colchicum are perennial plants that grow from corms, featuring typically coarse, broad, strap-like leaves. These leaves may emerge alongside or following the goblet-shaped blooms.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bulbs
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0-0.1 metre
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Rock garden, Wildlife gardens
- Toxicity
- TOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handlingif eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Using gloves to handle corms, plant 10cm deep in summer or early autumn in deep, fertile and well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in an open site in full sun; for more advice, see bulb cultivation
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by removing cormlets when dormant in summer; for more advice, see bulb propagation
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to slugs
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to grey moulds (Botrytis), smuts, and tulip grey bulb rot