Overview

Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' is a plant with a perennial, corm-forming habit in the genus Crocus, part of the Iridaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' grows best in full sun, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H6. Suggested uses include borders, lawns, rockeries, containers and under deciduous trees.

About

Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' is a corm-forming perennial in the Iridaceae that produces early spring flowers from February to April. The plant carries deciduous, narrow leaves and presents a compact habit. Flowers tend towards silvery lilac through to reddish purple, opening in the cooler months of the season.

About the genus

Crocus is a genus of seasonal flowering plants in the family Iridaceae comprising about 100 species of perennials growing from corms.

Wikipedia contributors, "Crocus", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Crocus

In the garden

A member of the Crocus genus in the Iridaceae, Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' grows from corms and dies back to its storage organ after the season. Flowering takes place February to April, offering one of the earlier displays of spring colour. Foliage is deciduous, so leaves will die back once the growth cycle ends. Select a sunny, sheltered spot on a south-, east- or west-facing aspect. The cultivar tolerates a wide range of soils — loam, clay or sand — and suits acid, neutral or alkaline pH; aim to avoid waterlogging while keeping the soil reasonably moist through the growing season. It is rated H6 (very hardy), so it withstands standard UK winter conditions when planted in a protected site. Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' works well naturalised in lawns, drifted through borders, tucked into rockeries, grown in containers or under deciduous trees where spring light reaches the corms before the canopy fills out. Because the foliage is deciduous, plan plantings so dying leaves are not intrusive in summer displays. Expect flowers from February to April as the corms break dormancy.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Crocus

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Loam, Clay, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Moist

Aspect

South-facing, East-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H6

Plant details

Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple' size, habit and characteristics

Habit

Perennial, Corm-forming

Foliage

Deciduous

Suggested uses

Borders, Lawns, Rockeries, Containers, Under Deciduous Trees

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Crocus tommasinianus 'Barr's Purple'

Propagation

Corms, Offsets, Seed

Pest resistance

Aphids, Slugs, Snails

Disease resistance

Fungal Diseases

Frequently asked questions