About
Crocus niveus is a perennial plant that grows from corms, typically yielding one or two flowers as its foliage begins to appear in the autumn. The blooms are characterized by white or pale purple petals, featuring a yellow throat and a prominent orange style, along with a lengthy tube that can be white, yellow, or brown.
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
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, East-facing, South-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, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Rock garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- S Greece
- 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 a gritty, poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny spot, or in an alpine house in a mix of equal parts loam, leaf mould and grit. Allow to dry out completely during summer dormancy. See crocus cultivation for more advice
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame when ripe or remove cormlets when dormant
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to rodents and birds
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free, corms may rot in storage