Crocus (Fall Flowering)

("Fall Crocus")

Origins:

Cultivation and harvesting of crocuses was first documented on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean. Crocus are native to woodland, scrub and meadows from sea level, to alpine tundra in central and southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, on the islands of the Aegean, and across central Asia into western China. The first crocuses seen in the Netherlands, where they are not native, came from Constantinople in the 1560's. A few ended up with Carolus Clusius in the botanical gardens in Leiden. By 1620 some new varieties had been developed that are very similar to ones still being traded today.

Planting Tips:

They look identical to spring-blooming crocus but bloom mid to late-fall depending on the variety. Delightfully cute, they bloom close to the ground on stems 3-5 inches (7-13 cm) tall with colorful egg-shaped flowers that open wide in the sun. They thrive in full sun, naturalize readily in the right conditions and offer lots of choices. It is advisable to plant them in and amongst a low growing ground cover for show and support (their stems are rather weak usually and will have a hard time holding up the flowers during a heavy wind- or rainstorm).

Flowers in the Crocus (Fall Flowering) Family

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