LAVENDER FALL CROCUS Colchicum autumnale
The images cannot described just how HUGE this crocus is! Fall crocus displays it's giant flower in the fall, without any foliage on the plants! Due to this, they are sometimes called 'Naked Ladies". In spring, shiny, strap-like, thick foliage emerges. The foliage goes dormant in summer (similar to other spring bulbs) making way for the mass of flowers in the fall. These plants multiply well, and form large drifts.
Type: Hardy perennial
Height: Flowers 10" tall, foliage 14" tall
Location: Sun or shade
Hardiness zones: 4-9
Bloom time: Summer into fall
Note: Ornamental use only. Many plants have poisonous parts, these included. These seeds and/or plants are poisonous.
Seeds per pack: 3
Germination: As with many perennials, these seeds require a period of moist cold to help them grow. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (artificial or natural), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:
Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 6-8 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks, or occasionally several months, after the warming period.
Alternatively, these seeds can also be planted outdoors in fall or winter, while temperatures are cold (but ground is workable) to germinate naturally in spring. Be sure to mark the area where you planted them, and that the soil is consistently moist. Patience is needed, but they are well worth the wait!
