Plant autumn crocus now for fall color
Planting most bulbs requires patience … a lot of patience. We plant them in the fall and then must wait until spring to enjoy the benefits of our labor. Colchicums are the exception — perfect for gardeners who need a faster payoff.
Commonly called autumn crocus and sometimes meadow saffron, Colchicum autumnale grows from corms (bulb-like structures that store food) and blooms in fall. A few weeks after their corms are planted, leafless flower stems quickly rise from the soil. Their lilac-pink flowers sparkle in autumn sunlight.
Their common name comes from their resemblance to the crocus that blooms in the spring, but they are actually members of the lily family.
Plant autumn crocus in rich, well-drained soil in full sun to light shade for best flowering. Clay soils should be amended with compost before planting. Plant corms 4 to 6 inches deep and at least 6 inches apart.
In spring, their green strappy foliage emerges, and then … nothing. No spring flowers appear. The leaves manufacture food for fall blooms and then, early in summer, begin to yellow before they disappear. Be sure to leave the foliage in place until it is completely yellow. Plant corms between perennials that hide the declining foliage.
Mother Nature normally provides the extra water autumn crocuses require in spring and early summer but if dry conditions occur, supplemental watering is necessary. Drier conditions are favored from midsummer through fall.
Colchicums are often more expensive than tulips and daffodils but well worth the money. Corms multiply quickly and can be divided every few years to replant in new spots in the landscape. To divide, dig up the entire clump after the foliage has completely died back in summer. Gently pull the corms apart and replant them immediately.
Plant autumn crocuses in beds of groundcover and to fill in spaces between spring- and early-summer blooming perennials. Flowers are showcased with planted beside purple-foliage perennials. Keep them away from the edge of the border or along the edges of garden paths where their yellowing foliage will attract the wrong kind of attention.
A word of caution: all parts of colchicums are poisonous. They contain a toxic substance called colchicine. To avoid the possibility of skin irritations, wear gloves when planting.
Colchicum autumnale and Colchicum Waterlily are the varieties most often found in garden centers. C. Waterlily boasts large, lilac-pink double blooms that look just like water lilies.
There are several other worthy types, but they may have to ordered from the catalogs of specialty bulb growers. Plant Cololchicum Alboplenum in gardens viewed mainly in the evening. Their double, creamy white flowers glow in the moonlight.
C. Lilac Wonder features rosy-lilac blooms; C. Violet Queen has violet-purple flowers; and C. Rosy Dawn displays rosy-purple blooms. For those who think bigger is better, C. Giant is a great choice. It grows 10 to 12 inches tall and shows off mauve-pink flowers.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist, garden writer and speaker. She blogs at gardenwithdiana.com.