| Description | A fall blooming bulb with many misleading common names. It is not a Crocus and doesn't produce Saffron. |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | All Plants, Bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizoms, etc. |
| Sunlight | partial sun, needs shade from hot sun |
| Moisture | average |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Flowers | 6 lavender pink petals, September |
| Leaves | Produces green strap-like leaves in April to May. Starts to dies back in June flopping over the neighboring plants. Resist removing until totally dead. |
| Stems | subterrarium structure, corm |
| Dimensions | 6 inches tall |
| Maintenance | Plant the corms in late summer. Do not remove the deteriorating foliage until it is 75%-100% dead. |
| Propagation | corms |
| Misc Facts | Produces a toxic chemical colchicine. Name may be derived from the fact that ancient authors claimed this plant was abundant in the Colchis, the Black Sea region of Georgia. Common names are misleading since it is not a Crocus and doesn't produce Saffron. |
| Author's Notes | I have seen it best used planted in among tough ground covers like Purple Leaf Winter Creeper, Ajuga, Pachysandra, and around the base of small shrubs. The ground covers will support the plant and cover the dying foliage. |
| Notes & Reference | #59-Naturalizing Bulbs (Rob Proctor), #60-The American Gardeners World of Bulbs (Judy Glattstein), #113-Bulbs for Gardens Habits (Judy Glattstein) |
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