Autumn Crocus

Autumn Crocus Care

Colchicum Autumnale

What is the plant

Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron or naked ladies, is a toxic autumn-blooming flowering plant that resembles the true crocuses, but is a member of the plant family Colchicaceae, unlike the true crocuses which belong to the family Iridaceae. The name "naked ladies" comes from the fact that the flowers emerge from the ground long before the leaves appear.Despite the vernacular name of "meadow saffron", this plant is not the source of saffron, which is obtained from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus – and that plant too is sometimes called "autumn crocus".The species is cultivated as an ornamental in temperate areas, in spite of its toxicity. The cultivar ‘Nancy Lindsay’ has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

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Humidity

High

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

min -5°C

Hardiness zone

6 - 9

Difficulty

Easy

Hibernation

Cold Period

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
This cormous perennial ideally needs around an inch of water every week.If the corms don’t get the appropriate amount of water in a week, check the soil to determine if it requires more water.This plant doesn’t need a lot of water when flowering.However, regular watering afterward helps the rooting system and allows the corms to store up some nutrients.
Fertilizer
Feed this plant twice annually, during early fall and then early spring.It is ideal to sprinkle in some fertilizer around the plant during the spring season to encourage the growth of its leaves.
Sunlight
The hybrid Colchicum prefers to be in the full sun, but also grows well in part shade.The more sun this plant gets, the less likely it is to flop over once the flowers start appearing.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
C. Autumnale thrives in medium moisture, well-drained, and organically rich soils.It’s essential for this plant to have good soil drainage to avoid corm rotting.
Temperature
Plants are hardy to about -20°c. The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[
Additional
All parts of the plant, but especially the bulb, are poisonous. They cause vomiting, violent purging, serious inflammation of the stomach and bowels, and death. Handling the corms can cause skin allergies in some people.