Colchicum autumnale
Autumn Crocus
Common names: Field Saffron
Photo: Stemonitis · Public Domain · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The autumn crocus produces pale violet, crocus‑like flowers without leaves from the ground in September and October; the large leaves appear only the following spring. It is an impressive meadow and garden plant, but all parts are highly poisonous (colchicine) and should not be grown in gardens with small children or grazing animals.
Care instructions
Plant the bulbs in July and August about 10 cm deep in moist, humus‑rich soil in sun or partial shade; they will flower a few weeks later. Wear gloves when planting because the sap is toxic. Do not disturb the plant afterwards and cut the spring foliage only after it has yellowed, so the bulb stores reserves for the autumn bloom.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
loamy, clayey, humus-rich, moist, nutrient-rich
Feeding
Light feeder
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From the magazine
Planting spring bulbs in autumn: depth, timing and vole protection
How to plant tulips, daffodils and crocuses in autumn: twice as deep as tall, at the right time and protected from voles.
Naturalising Spring Bulbs in the Lawn: the Flower Carpet That Returns Every Year
Scatter crocus, snowdrops and daffodils into the lawn once, and they come back every spring and multiply. Here is how to build a natural flower carpet, from autumn planting to the one iron mowing rule.
Foraging Wild Garlic Safely: Telling It Apart From Its Three Dangerous Look-Alikes
Foraging wild garlic is easy once you know its poisonous look-alikes. Here is how to tell it apart from lily of the valley, autumn crocus and lords-and-ladies, and how to gather it hygienically.