Colchicumspp.
fall crocus , Colchicumspp.are not crocuses at all .
While they may resemble those familiar spring - blooming members of the iris family , Colchicumis a disjoined genus in the Colchicaceae family that grows from bulb - like corms .
Their cupful - like bloom are pinkish or purple , often with a lily-white center . They may also be all livid .
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Many have a individual row of flower petal that give very wide , more like a lily than a crocus . Some cultivated varieties have multiple rows of petals and resemble water lilies .
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In this article , you ’ll learn all you need to make love to growColchium , a unique flower that offers profuse foliation in the spring and crocus - same blossoms in the fall .
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What You’ll Learn
Also get it on as meadow saffron , C. autumnaleis toxic if ingested , and must not be befuddle with the saffron crocus , Crocus sativus , from which the gourmet spice saffron is deduct .
What Is Autumn Crocus
Fall - bloomingColchicumspp . are unlike fromspring - blooming crocusesand other autumn crocus - type plants , such asSternbergia lutea , a sensationalistic blossom in the iris menage .
prime with no stems or leaves develop from corms in the fall . This outgrowth habit has earn these blossom the nickname “ naked ladies . ”
But do n’t confuse this one with another flower that goes by the same moniker , Amaryllis belladonna , a pink late - summer lily that blooms after its foliage withers .
Do n’t you just love botany ? !
After the raw ladies ofColchicumbloom and fade , the corms have a resting period of time of wintertime dormancy .
In the spring , tulip - similar foliage seem . This is followed by the issue of a fertilized ovum , or yield , that looks like a unripened egg .
As summertime get afoot , the foliage turns lily-livered , then crumble to brown .
Each class , the parent corm produces an offset , or girl , that takes the post of the original corm for generative growth , extend the industrial plant ’s unusual life hertz .
The most fascinating part is that via an organ referred to as a protrusion , and together with contractile roots , the girl bulb is able-bodied to pull itself deeper into the soil , where it settles into its mature position and producesadditional offsets for vegetal growth .
In addition to exceptional traits such as a self - nail down corm , bare - stemmed flower , leafing out in spring , and blooming in crepuscule , genus Colchicum has six stamens , twice as many as spring crocus flowers .
Master Gardener Susan Mahr , of the University of Wisconsin - Madison Master Gardener Program Division of Extension , delineate in her essay , “ Autumn Crocus , Colchicumspp . , ” that there are 65 species of autumn - bloomingColchicumworldwide .
C. autumnaleis the one most readily uncommitted to home gardeners . However , other common specie include : C. speciosum , C. cilicicum , andC. bysantinum .
C. speciosumis known for being a common “ parent ” plant used to create hybrid of one or more species .
C. cilicicum , the Tenore fall crocus , has lavender petal with a undivided white-hot stripe .
One of the many cultivate varieties ofColchicumisC. bysantinum . This is aC. cilicicumhybid with larger corms and multiple flower stem per corm .
record on to get wind the intriguing history of theColchicumgenus !
Cultivation and History
A monograph by M. R. Lee of the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh titled “ Colchicum autumnaleand the gout . au naturel madam and portly gentlemen ” key this corm flower ’s storied yesteryear .
It is native to the UK and most of southern and fundamental Europe , and has naturalized in Sweden , Denmark , and New Zealand .
Colchicumtakes its name from Colchis , situated in today ’s western Georgia , in Eastern Europe . Some of the earliest information about it is quite sad , beginning with Greek slaves in dire conditions assimilate it so as to terminate their intolerable life .
Byzantine physicians learned that the corms hold colchicine , an anti - incendiary that proved worthful for treating gouty arthritis . However , preparation was an hard process and the dosage had to be exact , or the result was toxic .
By the 1600s , colchicum was well known by Moorish people as a “ purgative ” for gout . However , by the 1700s , such treatments were ostracise as folk cure that did more scathe than unspoiled .
In the early 1800s , George Augustus Frederick , then Prince Regent and future King of England ( George IV ) , suffered greatly from gout and declared that he would take colchicum disregardless of the bans and warnings .
He live to tell the tale , and by the tardy 1800s , methods for its preparation and dose were far more honest . Sadly , blackguard were used in the experiment that brought them to this point .
By the forties , scientists read that genus Colchicum also has antimitotic property , meaning it could slow up down the division of cell and maybe assist in treating malignancies .
As of 2011 , forbidding were imposed on non - FDA - approved oral administration of colchicine . At the time , there was only one approved producer , and the ware was address “ Colcrys . ”
As of 2015 , scientists were in the thick ofa 12 - year studyof its possible employment in the intervention of cancer in gout affected role .
Today , Colcrys is usable for the discourse of condition such as gout and pericarditis , and explore into its anti - incitive benefit is on-going .
An informative write up , to say the least !
Again , I monish you not to consume any part of this efflorescence or its corms , as we move on to discuss maturate it in the home garden .
Propagation
There are two ways to introduce this bloom to your landscape painting : via seeds or corms .
From Seed
You may growColchicuumfrom seed . However , the biggest complaint from nurseryman is that they never sprout . This is because it hold at leasttwo years for seeds to germinate .
They have to experience period of warm up and cooling , moisture and darkness , and often come along years after they were implant .
In plus , some educate varieties produce infertile seed .
From Corms
corm allow a fast and more reliable way to get started . They are usable in late summertime for immediate planting .
How to Grow
Around the middle of August , nursery and on-line purveyors stockColchicum .
Once you have it in paw , plant it , because the corms will bloom even before you are able to get them into the ground , and the flowers are thin .
To begin , choose a location with full Sunday to part shade .
The soil should be organically rich and well - draining . The idealistic pH scale is slimly acidulent to neutral , between 6.0 and 7.0 .
To determine the quality and sourness of your soil , lead a filth testthrough your local cooperative extension service office . To ameliorate drainage and increase acidulousness , total compost or leaf mulch .
process the soil to a deepness of six inches , until it is crumbly . Mix in constituent affair as needed .
Some folk like toadd a little bone mealto the dirt at this point , for a daystar - rich boost to jump - commencement root growth . A sparge will do .
Place each corm pointy side up , three inches rich .
Leave six inches between corms . This space allows for passable air flow during the foliage phase each spring .
Note : Some folks care to cluster the corm in groups . Just remember , each corm make multiple efflorescence , and while the blossom are slender , the leaves require room to spread at least six or up to nine inches outward .
comprehend the corm with grime , tamp it down , and water well .
In the spring , provide an inch of water per week . This include pelting , sobe sure to employ a rainwater bore .
intercept watering once the leaves grow yellow .
When flowers appear in the fall , water sparingly in the absence of rain .
Growing Tips
The key to successful corm planting are to :
Maintenance
Minimal care is command for this plant . If you ’ve grown crocuses in the past , you ’re ready to growC. autumnale .
Here ’s what you need to do :
And finally , if you find the stemless , leafless flowers to be too floppy , provide support for future blooms in the phase of companion plant , which we ’ll discuss shortly .
Cultivars to Select
In addition to the true botanic specie , there are cultivated variety ofC. autumnaleas well .
Here are a few you might like :
Alboplenum
C. autumnale‘Alboplenum ’ is a “ threefold ” blossom with multiple white petal . superlative straddle from eight to 12 inches , and each corm can produce up to eight flower .
The Giant
C. autumnale‘Giant ’ has deep lilac - pinkish flower petal with white centers . Mature heights range from 10 to 12 inches , with up to 10 flowers per corm .
Waterlily
C. autumnale‘Waterlily ’ is a two-fold bloom with multiple lilac - pink flower petal .
This is a sterile cultivar that does not produce viable seeded player . Heights reach six inch . Each corm produces three to five blossoms .
Managing Pests and Disease
Colchicumis not prostrate to insects or transmission . However , poor drainage and/or overwatering may get moisture buildup that invitessnails and slugs .
Remove them by hand , or prepare the appropriate traps to enchant them .
In accession , soggy conditions may make corm vulnerable to fungal disease and rotting . Once underway , scathe is likely irreparable . Be proactive with well - draining soil and debar overwatering .
In 2013,it was report thatdark , sooty spore masses ofUrocystis colchicifungi were observed on the leafage ofC. autumnale , the UK ’s only native fall crocus . A type of “ smut fungus , ” it ’s so rare that it ’s queer , and picking the flowers and interrupt the fungus is prohibited .
Best Uses
Autumn crocus are well - suited to placements where they can cultivate , spreading their cheerful clusters of blooms for an ever - expanding display .
It is very attractive in the mottled sun beneath sluttish - biramous tree , and is equally at home in low - visibility rock garden , drifts , and hayfield .
mind of planting the corms in a lawn . The flowers may be dainty , but the leaves are bulky .
Good companion flora forColchicumincludeground coversand seasonal perennials that divvy up the same cultural requirements , those that can share space well with the leaves in outflow , and the flower in fall .
They ’re great for cover withering leaves and supporting flimsy flowers .
As for wildlife , theplants do not attract cervid , and they provide a source of pollen for later - seasonforaging bee .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
What Was She Thinking?
Like tipsy company Edgar Guest , you really do have to wonder about blossom that ca n’t hold themselves up because their leaves are dancing to a different drummer .
C. autumnalemay be a bit way-out , but I love that in a plant . Do n’t you ?
Add it to your garden planner , and retrieve to buy your corms as soon as they are available in the summertime .
Stay away from seeds , unless you ’re prepared to wait two days or more for them to develop .
Plant your corm forthwith , in a position with organically rich , slightly acidulous , well - drain territory , and you should enjoy flowers by late summertime or early fall .
And in this years of off-the-wall conditions , sea wolf bees , locusts , andspotted lanternflies , do n’t be surprised if the disguise neighbor stroll past your family stop to marvel at Mother Nature ’s splendid endowment : crocus blooming in the fall .
And for more info aboutflowering bulbs for your garden , check out these usher next :
© require the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published August 26th , 2020 . Last updated August 14th , 2023 . Uncredited photo : Shutterstock .
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Nan Schiller
