About
Crocus boryi is a perennial plant that grows to a height of 8 cm. It features a cluster of green leaves, each adorned with a prominent silvery-white stripe running down the center. The flowers, reaching lengths of up to 5 cm, are creamy white with vibrant golden yellow centers and orange stigmas and stamens. Occasionally, the outer petals may exhibit mauve veining or flushing. This species blooms in the autumn and provides valuable pollen for pollinators.
About the genus
Crocus are small, deciduous perennials that emerge from corms. They feature narrow leaves, often marked with a silvery stripe down the center. The flowers, which can be fragrant, are goblet-shaped and appear in either autumn or early spring.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bulbs
- Habit
- Tufted
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- Up to 10 cm
- Spread
- 0-0.1 metre
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Mediterranean climate plants, Gravel garden, Rock garden, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- W & S Greece Crete
- Toxicity
- Ornamental bulbs - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Ornamental bulbs - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Plant 8-10cm deep in late summer in full light in a bulb frame or alpine house, in a mix of equal parts loam, leaf mould, and grit or sharp sand; in the growing season, water freely and apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer monthly, but in summer when dormant keep completely dry; for more advice, see crocus cultivation
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by removing cormlets during dormancy; for more advice, see bulb propagation
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to rodents and birds
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free, corms may rot in storage