Description
Colchicum belongs to the lily family and is a perennial that forms corms. Because of its appearance it is often confused with crocuses. The leaves and flowers grow from the flattened part of the corm: the flowers appear in autumn, as if to greet the winter, and the leaves in spring. A legend tells that Colchicum arose from drops of the magic potion spilled by the mythical Medea somewhere at the foot of the Caucasus, in the land of Colchis, which gave the plant its Latin name. In Poland it grows wild, most often in the mountains and foothills and in the north-east of the country.
The autumn crocus resembles a crocus and is often mistaken for one, but it develops quite differently: in autumn only the flowers appear (about 15 cm tall), while the leaves, 6 cm wide and 30 cm long, grow in March and wither in June. Depending on the size of the corm, the plant produces 3 to 8 narrowly lance-shaped, blunt-tipped leaves.
The autumn crocus flowers from August to September. Depending on the variety, the flowers may be purple-lilac, pinkish-lilac, lilac, pink or sometimes white, single or double. They are funnel-shaped, forming a starry perianth of 6 segments fused at the base into a long tube. A single large corm 8 cm across produces a dozen or more of them.
Requirements
Autumn crocuses like firm, humus-rich, nutrient-rich, not too moist soil, in sun to partial shade. Soils that are too light can be enriched with well-rotted manure.
Propagation
Autumn crocuses are propagated from offset corms, separated from the mother corms lifted in June after the leaves have turned brown.
Care
Once planted in their final position, they can stay there for several years and spread a great deal, forming a carpet of flowers. Because the corms do not need soil to flower, they are also grown indoors: simply put the corms in a container, cover them with gravel or sand, for example, and after a couple of weeks they will reward you with flowers. When the flowers fade, plant them in the garden. In autumn of the following year you can lift them again and enjoy the flowers once more.
Before you buy
WARNING: autumn crocus is a poisonous plant – it contains the toxic alkaloid colchicine – so avoid planting it in gardens where small children play.