About
This perennial plant grows from corms and features narrow, basal leaves that emerge in winter and spring after the blooming period in autumn. Typically, each corm produces a single elongated flower, which can vary in color from deep purple to lilac-purple, characterized by a lighter throat and a vivid orange or yellow stigma.
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, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, 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
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bulbs
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- Up to 10 cm
- Spread
- 0-0.1 metre
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Wildflower meadow, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- France Spain
- 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
- Grows best in a moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade. Suitable for naturalising in grass, see bulbs: naturalising. 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