About
Crocus fleischeri is a compact, perennial corm characterized by its fibrous outer layer. It generates slender, dark green leaves that can reach up to 12 cm in length, each adorned with a subtle white stripe down the middle. In early spring, it blooms with white flowers that feature narrow, spreading petals, complemented by a dark purple mark at the base of each petal and vibrant orange-red styles. This species may also produce stolons that can sprout new cormlets at their ends.
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, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Alpine Rockery, Bulbs
- Habit
- Tufted
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- 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, Rock garden, Wildlife gardens, Gravel garden
- Native to
- Turkey, Aegean Is.
- 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
- Grow in gritty, well-drained, preferably alkaline soil in full sun. This species benefits from a dry summer dormancy, so is best grown in dry gardens, or in a bulb frame or alpine house. See crocus cultivation for more advice
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by division of established clumps, separating cormlets when dormant, or by seed sown in pots in a cold frame as soon as ripe
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to rodents and birds
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free, corms may rot in storage