Petals of colorful crocuses breaking through the snow are the first harbingers of the coming spring. This delightful ornament of mountain fields, forests and hills can be successfully planted in the home garden. If we want our lawns and flower beds to be decorated with beautiful crocus flowers in the spring, we should learn about planting and caring for crocuses in the open ground and how to propagate the plant.
2.Description - what a crocus looks like
What kind of crocus plant is this? Crocus or saffron are miniature, perennial, bulbous plants.
The bulbs are slightly flattened, brown or white, 1 - 2 cm in diameter, at the base they bear well-developed, long, light roots. Each bulb during the flowering period is capable of producing 1 - 2 buds.
The leaves are long and very thin, delicate, green, often with a lighter, almost white longitudinal stripe in the center, up to 10 cm long, appearing directly from the tops of the bulbs.
The flowers often appear before the leaves and are very attractive, pink, lilac, lavender, blue, yellow or white. The petals of some varieties have stripes or spots, and are also colored in 2 different shades.
Each flower, up to 5 cm in diameter, bears large yellow stamens with lots of orange pollen.
Many species have a pleasant and rather strong aroma that attracts pollinating insects.
Height . Up to 20 cm.
Care
You need to be careful about watering after planting, especially if crops that require a lot of moisture grow nearby. In the area with crocuses, the soil should be moist, but not wet, so during the growth period until the leaves dry out, water them based on weather conditions.
If the soil is not fertilized, feed it 2-3 weeks after planting. After watering or rain, you can apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
3.Crocuses - planting and care
The timing of planting in open ground will depend on the time of flowering. If a variety of crocus forms buds in the spring, then such a flower is planted in the fall - around the end of October or in the first half of November . If flowering occurs in the autumn, then spring months .
To plant crocus bulbs, prepare a plot of soil with good lighting or located in the open shade of shrubs and trees.
Constantly flooded areas are not suitable for growing crocuses - the bulbs will rot in such conditions.
The soil is dug up and weeds are removed. To improve nutrition, a sufficient amount of organic matter is mixed into the soil - humus or well-rotted manure. If there is no organic matter, then the substrate can be enriched with superphosphate granules.
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In order for the soil to better allow moisture to pass through and become loose, river sand and wood ash are added to it.
If the soil has an acidic pH, then it must be adjusted by adding lime or crushed chalk.
Holes are prepared for planting , the distance between which is maintained in accordance with the planting scheme. Crocus can be planted in groups and used as a border plant.
The depth of the planting holes should be 2-3 times the height of the bulbs , and a layer of river sand should be poured onto their bottom, which will facilitate better drainage of moisture after watering.
If the soil on the site is heavy and clayey, then the bulbs can be planted to a depth 2 times greater than the height of the bulbs, and if the soil is loose, then the bulbs can be buried.
Since the crocus quickly forms daughter bulbs and they become crowded, a distance of 7 - 12 cm .
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Before planting, the bulbs are soaked for half an hour in a fungicide solution or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Only healthy planting material is chosen for cultivation - the bulbs must be dense, without soft areas and mechanical damage.
There should be no wrinkles, spots or any manifestations of disease on the surface of the scales. The scales should fit snugly against the walls of the bulbs and not puff up.
The bulbs are placed in planting holes and watered with sufficiently warm water. The surface of the ground after planting can be lightly compacted.
The seeds of the plant are also suitable for planting in open ground . Planting dates may vary regardless of the timing of flowering.
For autumn planting, a time is selected so that the first shoots do not have time to appear before the onset of winter. During autumn planting, the seeds will go through a period of cool stratification naturally.
Before sowing crocus seeds in the spring, they are sprinkled with a small amount of damp river sand and placed in the refrigerator for 3 weeks to undergo cool stratification.
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3.1.Care in open ground
Caring for a crocus is not difficult - the flower is quite unpretentious and does not require careful care.
When grown in open ground, the flower is periodically fed and the soil surface is loosened. The area is also periodically weeded to remove harmful weeds.
Water the plants only when the soil dries to a depth of several centimeters.
For spring-flowering plants, the first fertilizing is applied on the snow , evenly distributing fertilizers over its surface. As the snow melts, it will saturate the soil with nutrients. For fall-flowering varieties, fertilizing begins when the first signs of new growth appear.
The second feeding of flowers is carried out when the buds form and the last one is done after flowering.
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In the autumn months, for bulbs overwintering outside, it is worth organizing a shelter - sprinkling the area with a thick layer of mulch made from straw or rotted sawdust. Without additional shelter, the bulbs can tolerate frosts down to -18 degrees Celsius.
If rodents appear on the site, then after the above-ground part of the bulb dies, it is better to dig it out of the soil and bring it indoors for storage. Only plants with completely dead leaves are dug up - for spring-flowering varieties, this period begins in mid-summer. Autumn-flowering varieties are dug up in June.
During one season, each bulb can form 2 - 10 daughter bulbs, and over time, a whole carpet of flowers can form in the place where one plant is planted. Such thickened plantings are replanted every 3 - 5 years .
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If the plants are not planted, the crowding will contribute to the formation of smaller flowers, and over time, the buds will stop forming altogether.
For replanting plants that bloom in spring, the autumn months are used, and for varieties that bloom in autumn, it is accordingly better to use spring replanting.
After digging, the bulbs are cleaned of old soil and dried in a warm place.
Store planting material in a dry, dark and fairly cool place until planting at a temperature of about 4 - 9 degrees Celsius.
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Crocuses after flowering
Often inexperienced gardeners have a question: what to do with faded crocuses? Peduncles with faded flowers must be cut off, but the foliage should be left; it will continue to decorate the garden plot for many weeks. Over time, the foliage will turn yellow and wilt.
After the foliage has completely dried naturally, the bulbs of spring-blooming species must be removed from the soil. They are dried and stored until September, then they are planted again on the site. It was already mentioned above that there is no need to carry out this procedure annually. If the flowers were planted in open soil less than three years ago, and the surface of the soil is still visible between the bushes, then seeding may not be carried out. In this case, it is recommended to cover the surface of the area with a thick layer of mulch (fallen dry leaves or peat) for the winter.
What time should you dig up bulbs?
For crocuses that bloom in spring, the beginning of the annual cycle occurs in the last weeks of winter or the first weeks of spring, when their foliage grows. Around mid-June they begin their dormant period. In autumn, these flowers “awaken” again, they begin to actively accumulate nutrients and build up the root system. This period also marks the end of the formation of the resumption point. That is why, when a plant has a dormant period, its foliage should be intact. It is necessary to dig up or plant bulbs of spring-flowering species during the dormant period, or more precisely, from the second half of June to the last weeks of summer.
The crocus cycle, which blooms in autumn, usually begins in August. First, the plant blooms, and then its foliage grows, at the same time the formation of a replacement corm is observed. The dormant period for such flowers begins 4 weeks earlier than for species that bloom in spring. If there is such a need, then crocuses should be removed from the soil from the first days of June to the second half of August.
What to do with crocuses after flowering? crocuses care and cultivation
How to store bulbs
The dug up bulbs are placed in a shaded place to dry. Then the remaining soil, dead scales and roots are removed from them. Next, they are placed in a box or drawer, laid in one layer. Very small bulbs can be placed in candy boxes. In the room where the bulbs will be stored until August, the air temperature must be at least 22 degrees, otherwise the process of laying flower buds will be disrupted. At the beginning of August, the room temperature should be reduced to 20 degrees, and after 7 days - to 15 degrees. However, these ideal conditions for storing crocus planting material can sometimes be created only in specialized farms. Amateur gardeners, for storing bulbs, choose a dry, dark room that is well ventilated, and the air temperature there should be room temperature.
4. Propagation of crocuses
Crocus propagates by small daughter bulbs or seeds. The bulbs are separated from the mother bulbs during transplantation. The first buds will decorate the plants obtained by division after 2 - 3 years .
You can also grow crocus from seeds. Seed propagation is quite easy and when growing a flower under it you can often find self-seeding.
Not all varieties form seeds, even when pollinated. When grown in the central zone, autumn-flowering varieties do not have time to form seeds, so this method of propagation is suitable only for spring varieties.
After flowering, the plants produce seed pods that become dry and brown when ripe. Each seed pod contains large, reddish-brown seeds.
After collection, the seeds are dried and stored until spring in a dry and cool place, packed in fabric bags or paper parcels.
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- Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a solution of epin or zircon for half an hour and dried.
- In the spring, small cups or pots with drainage holes are prepared for sowing seeds.
- Expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the cups - it will allow moisture to drain faster from the pot after watering.
- Fill the pots with a nutritious and loose soil mixture, which is thoroughly moistened.
- Seeds 2 - 3 pieces. sow on the surface of the soil and cover the top with soil about 7 - 10 mm thick.
- After sowing, the soil surface is also moistened with a spray bottle.
- For 3 weeks, the cups with seeds are sent to the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator so that they undergo cool stratification.
- After stratification, the cups are placed in a room at room temperature.
- Cups with seedlings are placed in a well-lit place with plenty of reflected sunlight, out of direct rays.
- To create a greenhouse effect, the seedlings are covered with a plastic cap or transparent plastic film. Every day the cover is removed and the crops are ventilated, each time increasing the ventilation time.
- 2 - 4 weeks after sowing, shoots may appear for the first time.
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As the plants develop, they grow into larger pots. Feed the flowers every time after picking - after 10 - 15 days.
Plants obtained from seeds bloom only after 4 - 5 years .
Since seed propagation requires a long period of time before flowering, it is carried out mainly by breeders to develop new varieties of flowers.
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Diseases and pests
If not properly cared for, plants become susceptible to various diseases and are affected by pests. Field mice pose a particular danger to bulbs; they feed on them. For storage, you can use egg trays, an ideal storage container.
Wireworm larvae make passages in the bulbs. You can recognize the offenders by their yellow color and hard chitinous cover. Traps can be used to kill pests. To do this, you will need to take several bunches of hay, moisten them in water and place them on the surface of the soil in which saffron grows. The top needs to be covered with boards. The procedure should be carried out at the end of April. The larvae will crawl into the hay and can be destroyed. Slugs also plague plantings. We must collect them and destroy them.
Crocuses can be affected by viral diseases. They manifest themselves in the flattening of flowers. The virus cannot be cured, but its spread can be prevented. To do this, you will need to remove all infected bulbs and treat the area with a well-heated solution of potassium permanganate.
5.Growing at home
5.1.Containment temperature
When growing in pots, create the conditions in which crocuses are found in nature.
, bulbs of spring-flowering varieties must undergo preliminary cold stratification for 12 - 15 weeks at a temperature of about 5 ° C.
° C for some time until the first signs of growth appear.
When the leaves reach a height of 3 - 5 cm, the plants are transferred to a warmer place - with a temperature of 10 - 15 ° C.
After flowering, the temperature can be increased slightly - to about 17 ° C. If the air temperature rises above 20 ° C, the flowering time will be greatly reduced.
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Low night temperatures , bordering on negative, contribute to prolongation of flowering time In such conditions, buds will decorate the plants for 3 weeks.
Do not be afraid of low temperatures - in their natural environment they tolerate frosts down to 10 - 15 ° C even when they are blooming.
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5.2.When the home crocus blooms
Under natural conditions they bloom in very early spring ; flower stalks often break through the snow. Among the crocuses there are not only primroses, but also varieties that bloom in the autumn months .
When forced, it can bloom at any time of the year. The flowering period can last 2 - 3 weeks if the plants are kept cool and away from direct sunlight.
When growing for forcing, you should be guided by the fact that the first buds appear approximately 3 months after planting the bulbs .
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Unfortunately, the specific timing of flowering may depend not only on maintenance conditions, but also on varietal characteristics, so in order to get a flower by March 8 , it is worth adapting to a specific variety over the course of a couple of years.
For flowering in the second half of winter or early spring, it is better to use spring-flowering varieties, and for forcing in autumn, of course, it is better to use autumn-flowering varieties.
For forcing, large-flowered plants of Dutch selection are most often used - they will fully comply with the declared characteristics even when grown at home.
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5.3.Lighting
During the dormant period, when the crocus plant loses its leaves, the bulbs are stored in a dark place.
During the forcing period, place the pots in a well-lit place where they can receive 4 - 6 hours of direct sun every day.
When the buds open, you can move the crocuses to the shade, as in such conditions the flowers will remain open longer. Exposing flowers to direct sunlight can shorten flowering time .
If there is a lack of sunlight, artificial lighting can be used. Using LED or fluorescent lamps, crocuses are illuminated in the morning or evening hours to increase the length of daylight.
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5.4. Growing crocus at home - forcing
How to care for crocus at home? In homes, crocuses are often used for forcing - using different planting dates, you can get a living bouquet from the bulbs by any desired date. Only mature, strong bulbs are suitable for forcing.
The planting material must be the same size - for bulbs of different sizes, flowering dates may shift, and the buds can also be of different sizes.
Such plantings bloom in the house for 1 season ; in the second year, it is better to move the plants to open ground.
Some varieties, such as golden-flowered crocus, are not suitable for forcing - even with careful adherence to agricultural practices, the buds do not open and remain dry in the foliage.
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After flowering, the leaves will begin to yellow and die - do not remove them as they will continue to feed the bulbs. Only flower stalks with fading buds should be pruned. Such flower stalks are separated from plants using a sharpened sterile instrument.
Plants that bloomed at home should be planted outside . The bulbs are removed from the substrate when the above-ground part dies off and a dormant period begins.
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Before storing the planting material, it is cleared of the remnants of old soil. After flowering, the bulbs are stored in a dark and cool place with a temperature of about 5 - 9 ° C, in a peat mixture, which is occasionally moistened, or in paper bags.
Every week the bulbs are taken out and sorted , checking for rot.
Autumn-flowering plants require a higher temperature for storage - about 20 ° C - it is under these conditions that flower buds are formed.
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5.5.Soil
Crocus needs soil rich in organic matter and well-drained, for example a mixture of leaf humus and a small amount of peat.
The flower does not like substrates whose pH levels are low - in other words, acidic soils. Neutral or slightly alkaline soils will be preferable for keeping plants .
To improve moisture permeability, it is worth adding coarse river sand or perlite and vermiculite to the soil.
The finished mixture should be nutritious and easily allow air to pass through, allowing the root system to breathe.
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5.6.Transplanting crocuses
Crocuses are planted annually, in autumn or spring, in shallow bowls with large drainage holes.
- A drainage layer of expanded clay, clay shards, broken bricks or pieces of polystyrene is placed at the bottom of the pot.
- Fill the pot with nutritious and loose soil mixture, so that the surface of the substrate is 5-6 cm below the walls of the pot.
- In order to get a fairly lush bush, 5 - 10 bulbs are planted in each pot.
- Place the bulbs on the ground so that there is about 2 - 3 cm of soil between them. The bulbs should not touch the walls of the pot when planting.
- From above, the planting is covered with a layer of substrate 2-3 cm high. In the upper part, instead of soil, you can use river sand - it will quickly remove moisture from the bulbs after watering and will prevent the development of rot.
- The planted flowers are watered with water at room temperature. The next watering should be carried out only when the first leaves appear above the soil surface.
It is better to plant faded bulbs in the garden; they are unlikely to bloom twice at home.
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5.7.Feeding crocuses
Annual planting in fresh soil allows crocuses to do without additional feeding in most cases.
If the soil is not nutritious enough, pamper the flower with liquid mineral fertilizers for flowering plants 1 - 2 times a month before flowering . After flowering, it is worth carrying out 1 - 2 more feedings , preparing the bulbs for the dormant period.
The nutrient solution is diluted to half the dose recommended on the package and added to moist soil , previously watered abundantly. Contact of a concentrated solution on the root system in dry soil can cause a chemical burn to the roots.
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You should not feed only planted plants and flowers that have any signs of disease.
When growing crocuses, you should not use mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content - with such fertilizing, the bulbs become overgrown and loose, and are easily susceptible to rot and fungal diseases.
Crocus can be fed with both mineral solutions and organic matter. As organic , you can use cow or horse manure, a solution of bird droppings, and humus. All organic matter used must be well rotted.
Plants are more likely to tolerate a lack of nutrients by using up the reserves that are in the bulbs than an excess amount of fertilizer.
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5.8.Air humidity
Does not require spraying and can tolerate fairly dry air. Atmospheric humidity is increased mainly to protect the flower from the invasion of harmful insects.
To increase humidity, you should not use spraying - droplets of moisture falling on flowers and buds can ruin their appearance.
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It is better to place the flower pot on a tray filled with wet gravel and periodically spray the pebbles. With this growing method, the surface of the water should always be below the bottom of the pot.
room humidifier helps increase humidity , but you can do without it - just place any wide, open container of water .
Keep plants in ventilated areas with good flow of fresh air.
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5.9.Water crocuses
The frequency of watering when growing crocuses will depend on the ambient temperature and the stage of flower development.
After planting, the first waterings should be limited and quite rare - at this time the crocus does not yet have leaf plates that evaporate moisture into the atmosphere. Excessive watering at this time will lead to rotting of the bulbs.
As the green mass develops, the frequency of watering is gradually increased.
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Regularly moisten the soil in pots when the crocus forms buds.
After flowering, when the leaf blades begin to turn yellow, gradually reduce the frequency of watering so that after the leaves die off, the bulbs are in almost dry soil.
Water the plants with settled tap water at room temperature.
It is best to water the plants in a tray - in such conditions the bulbs will grow roots to meet the incoming moisture.
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Why doesn't the crocus bloom?
Some gardeners are upset when the crocus grows abundantly with green mass, but does not produce arrows of flowers. This may happen for the following reasons:
- Planted too deep - the bulbs should be located half their height above the soil surface. The buried growing point does not allow the formation of a peduncle;
- We planted the bush abundantly - if the bulbs are crowded, they turn on the mode of struggle for survival, and, believe me, there is certainly no time for flowering when there are not enough nutrients;
- Root rot and pests that attack the bulb - the leaves become lethargic;
- Improper watering - waterlogged soil is just as dangerous as overdried soil. Everything needs balance.
Indoor crocus may not produce flowers due to lack of the required amount of sunlight. To get beautiful and lush flowering, regardless of where you grow it, you need to follow the recommendations described above. The plant is unpretentious, but loves care, like all living things on this planet!
7.Purpose
Can be used for forcing, but it will require some effort to maintain temperature and lighting conditions.
Different varieties of crocuses bloom at different times, and by placing several different bulbs in one pot you can enjoy flowering for longer.
Crocus stigma or saffron is a valuable seasoning that is sometimes used in cooking. Saffron was also used to dye fabrics and foods.
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Using coloring, the seasoning can be checked for naturalness. When a few stigmas are added to a few liters of water, it turns a uniform yellow or orange color. Artificially created seasoning does not have this effect.
Interestingly, crocus bulbs are also considered edible - they are eaten after cooking.
Flowers look very advantageous in group plantings and when grown on alpine hills .
Crocuses are one of the very first plants to decorate the garden plot with their blooms in the spring.
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Beautiful examples in the landscape
Photos of crocus flowers grown among the lawn are a fantastic solution for creating an original landscape design.
One bad thing is that you will have to wait to mow the grass until the crop has finished flowering. Although there is a way out of this situation, it is to lay out a sports lawn on the site, the grass of which does not require mowing.
In flower beds and under trees they look good in a cluster. Decorating the edge of a flower bed with crocuses will create a bright accent in a garden that has not yet fully recovered from winter.
Chains of yellow and pink crocuses planted in a flower bed look beautiful. Can be planted in rows.
Crocuses in open ground are ideally placed on slopes or in rock gardens, next to which sedum and ground cover plants will grow. Good neighbors:
- daffodils;
- hyacinths;
- snowdrops.
Since the foliage of crocuses turns yellow after flowering, experienced gardeners plant next to plants that bloom later so that they grow and cover up the unsightly picture.
Crocuses are not suitable for cutting as their flowers are very delicate.
But if you plant a crocus plant in a pot, it will decorate your apartment or terrace.
8.Note, interesting facts
Crocus stigmas are used to make seasonings (another name is saffron) and for medicinal purposes.
In Europe, crocus became a symbol of wealth and superiority, as it was worth fabulous money as a seasoning. The flower is often used as a heraldic symbol - it is depicted on the coats of arms of the city of Mozdok (North Ossetia), the municipality of Letux (Spain) and others, and was also often depicted on various coats of arms in France.
Considering that the crocus often breaks through the thickness of the snow and appears immediately with buds, the flower can be considered a symbol of perseverance and strength, as well as a symbol of the awakening of nature.
In China, only emperors could wear saffron-colored clothes. The flower acquired a negative connotation in Ancient Rome - it became a symbol of wastefulness, since purchasing saffron for huge sums of money, the floor of the room was covered with the precious seasoning during feasts.
Crocus sativus is used in homeopathy.
Hydroponics.
Use in landscape design
Autumn crocuses are a real salvation for gardeners who dream of organizing an ever-blooming garden.
Due to the fact that autumn crocuses are still low-growing garden crops, they are usually preferred to be planted on borders, alpine hills, or to create colorful three-dimensional designs in flower beds.
Autumn crocuses look especially attractive in the fall against the backdrop of fallen tree leaves - which is why many people like to plant them separately from other garden plants. Some gardeners prefer to plant several different varieties of autumn saffron on their site at once to create a colorful and colorful flower bed. However, to achieve a beautiful result, you need to select varieties of these flowers with coinciding flowering periods.
Since some fall varieties of crocus can grow successfully in the shade, these plants can be planted near tall shrubs or conifers. Alternatively, crocuses can be planted along garden paths - these plants rarely grow wide and will not interfere with passage through the area.
Planting and caring for autumn crocuses in the video.
9.Varieties:
9.1.Valley saffron - Crocus vallicola
Flowering bulbous perennials with thin and long petals, often colored white. The tips of the petals are sharp. Often the petals have thin lilac stripes. This variety belongs to the autumn-blooming mountain crocuses and is often found in the Caucasus. Flowers appear even before leaves form.
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9.2. Spring crocus - Crocus vernus
A widespread variety among flower growers. They are miniature plants with large bulbs. The leaves are uniform, dark green, hard, straight with a pronounced central vein. The peduncles are short, bearing single delicate flowers at the tops. Petals can be painted in white, lilac, purple, yellow shades. Often on the surface of the petals there are thin longitudinal stripes of a darker color. The flowering period begins in spring and lasts about 3 weeks. Interestingly, at night and in cloudy weather, the flower petals remain closed.
This species was used by Dutch breeders to develop modern large-flowered crocus varieties.
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9.2.1. Crocus vernus Remembrance
One of the varieties bred on the basis of spring crocus. These are large-flowered crocuses that can be used for forcing at home. Foxes are green, narrow, with a narrow and light stripe running along the central vein. Peduncles are short and powerful. The flowers are goblet-shaped with plain, brightly colored petals of lilac or purple.
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9.3. Crocus (saffron) sativus or sativus - Crocus sativus
An autumn-blooming crocus with long, red threads inside the flower - anthers. It is from this flower that the well-known seasoning, saffron, is made. The leaves are dark green, long, arched, monochromatic. Peduncles are short, vertical. At the tops of the peduncles there are single, large flowers with wide-open lilac petals. The center of the flowers is often darker in color.
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9.4.Crocus Kochi - Crocus kotschyanus
Quite large autumn-flowering plants, the bulbs of which can reach 9 - 10 cm in diameter. Flowering often occurs after the leaves die. The leaves are dark green, narrow, linear, with a central silver vein. The flowers are delicate, single, with thin, oblong petals in pastel shades of lilac, pink or white. There are almost always thin dark stripes on the surface of the petals. The center of the flowers has a yellow-orange circle.
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9.5.Crocus speciosum
Bulbous perennials with autumn flowering, 10 - 15 cm in height. The flowers have oblong, sometimes pointed petals of delicate shades and resemble colchicum. The center of the flower is often lighter. Flowering occurs after the leaves die. The leaves are green, linear.
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9.5.1. Crocus Cassiopeia - Crocus speciosus Cassiope
One of the late-blooming varieties, with bluish or lilac flowers in delicate shades. A distinctive feature of the plant remains the bright, branched stamens in the upper part.
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9.5.2.Crocus speciosus conqueror
Plants with autumn flowering. The flowers are bluish or lilac, located on thin, erect peduncles. The bright, orange stamens contrast perfectly with the pointed petals of this variety. The center of the flowers is yellow.
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9.6.Korolkova saffron - Crocus korolkowii
Perennial primroses with narrow, dark green, hard, straight leaves. There is a light stripe in the center of the leaf blades. Peduncles are quite short, often do not exceed the height of the leaves, and bear small, very similar buds at the tops. The flower petals are painted in a bright, golden-orange hue, and their outer side remains brown or burgundy.
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9.7.Crocus chrysanthus
Perhaps one of the most diverse group of buds in the color of the plant. Flowers can be colored in shades of yellow, white, lilac, purple. The outer side of the petals often remains dark - purple, brown or burgundy. Some varieties may have buds colored simultaneously in several shades, smoothly transitioning from one to another.
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9.7.1. Crocus chrysanthus Fuscotinctus
A spring-flowering variety of crocus with very thin, needle-like, dark green leaves. A distinctive feature of the plant is its goblet-shaped flowers with golden petals. The outer side of the petals has longitudinal brown or burgundy stripes.
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9.7.2.Crocus Goldilocks
The variety is characterized by half-opened bright golden flowers with uniform, oval petals. Flowering occurs in spring.
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9.7.3.Crocus chrysanthus Aubade
Very tender plants with spring flowering, have glossy, slightly curved, green leaves. Flowers with white, fairly wide petals and a yellow center. The stamens, like most crocuses, are bright orange.
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9.8.Crocus sieberi
Even for crocuses, this variety remains one of the smallest - plants can reach only 7 - 10 cm in height. Bulbous perennials with early spring flowering. The leaves are narrow, linear, green. The flowering is so profuse that the leaves often remain completely hidden by the flowers. The peduncles are quite short and often remain below the leaves. The flowers are wide open, with 6 oblong petals, painted in white, pinkish, lilac or purple shades.
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9.8.1.Crocus Tricolor - Crocus sieberi Tricolor
One of the brightest varieties of Crocus Sieber has flowers with wide, almost rounded petals, painted in 3 different shades - purple, white and orange in the center of the flower.
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9.8.2.Crocus sieberi Firefly
Delicate flowering herbaceous plants with bluish-green, thin leaves and powerful, short, vertical peduncles. These plants apparently got their name “firefly” for the bright color of their buds - lilac or pinkish flowers with an orange center contrast very nicely with the dark leaf blades.
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9.9. Banat crocus - Crocus banaticus
An autumn-flowering variety, often the plant height does not exceed 5 cm. The leaves are linear, green, monochromatic. Flowering occurs after the leaves die; the flowers have delicate, purple, lilac, pink or white petals. During flowering, the plants emit a pleasant sweetish aroma. The structure of the flowers is interesting - 3 petals grow to large sizes, another 3 remain small and are located inside the flower. The buds are lilac, branched at the top of the stamen. Sometimes the flowers of the Banat crocus resemble the buds of its closest relative, the iris.
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9.10. Multi-colored crocus - Crocus versicolor
Spring flowering plants have dark green leaves with a light stripe in the center. Peduncles are white, short. The flowers are often half-open and have white or lilac, pointed petals and a yellow center with orange stamens.
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9.10.1. Crocus picturatus - Crocus Versicolor Picturatus
A white-flowered variety, the flower petals have dark, purple stripes on the outside.
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9.11. Sharoyan's Crocus - Crocus scharojanii
Autumn flowering variety. The plants have elegant and austere, goblet-shaped, golden-orange flowers that remain half-open. Interestingly, among autumn crocuses this species is the only one with golden flowers. Flowering occurs after the leaves die.
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9.12. Crocus Tommasini - Crocus tommasinianus
The variety has flowers with pale lavender or purple petals. Peduncles are thin, vertical. The flowers close at night and open in the morning, but usually remain closed in rainy and cloudy weather. The plants are classified as primroses. Each bush has 3 - 5 narrow, linear leaves during flowering.
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Blooming in autumn
These crocus varieties open their buds in autumn .
Lovely (Crocus speciosus)
You can see the beautiful crocus blooming in the Crimea, the Balkans and Asia Minor. For life, the flower chooses forest edges and mountain slopes.
The characteristic color of the petals is violet-pink with purple longitudinal thin veins . Flowering begins literally from the first autumn days and lasts up to 3 weeks.
Based on this variety, garden hybrids with white, lilac, deep blue, dark blue and soft purple petal colors were obtained.
Pretty (Crocus pulchellus)
The flower petals are lavender with thin longitudinal purple stripes, which makes the corollas brighter and more attractive. The height of the bush does not exceed 10 cm .
Banat (Crocus banaticus)
The crocus received its name in honor of the historical region of Romania, Banat, where it was found in the wild. It should be noted that this variety is generally widespread throughout the Balkans.
The height of the flowers does not exceed 14 cm, while the length of the silver-green leaf plates can reach 15 cm. The petals are pale lilac, with bright yellow anthers located in the center of the flower calyx .
Large-flowered Dutch hybrids
The history of Dutch hybrids begins in 1897, when the first plants were obtained. Now about 50 hybrids are known, which are divided into groups according to color:
- White flowers;
- purple, lilac and lilac flowers;
- The petals, in addition to the main tone, have a pattern of stripes or mesh.
Reasons for the lack of flowering in saffron
Inexperienced gardeners may encounter a situation where a crocus planted according to all the rules does not bloom, but is only characterized by green foliage.
The main reasons preventing the formation of flowers:
- Planting density. As mentioned above, daughter cells cannot develop in cramped conditions. Mother tubers are capable of pushing only young green foliage out of the ground. In this situation, it is necessary to carry out a transplant procedure.
- Planting corms too deep. If small bulbs are planted very deep in the ground, then all their strength will go into pushing the foliage through the soil to the surface. In sandy soil, the bulbs may involuntarily sink deeper into the loose soil. This problem can be solved by replanting the bulbs to a depth of no more than 6 cm. In heavy clay soil, tubers are planted no lower than 4 cm from the surface of the ground.
- Lack of fertilizers. Due to untimely application of fertilizing, the plant will not be able to bloom and develop properly. Crocuses growing in the same area take all the nutritional components from the substrate. Therefore, they need to be fed with mineral fertilizers every year in the spring. From organic fertilizers, compost is suitable, which is added to the holes before planting the bulbs.
Ideal time to harvest bulbs
Having had enough of the flowering, gardeners begin to wonder: the crocuses have faded, what should we do with them next? It should be noted that these are frost-resistant plants, so they are usually not dug up and replanted for 3-5 years. During this period, the mother bulb is overgrown with up to 10 daughter bulbs.
But it is important not to miss the moment when it is simply necessary to transplant crocuses to a new place
Attention! Crocuses growing in one place for a long period can degenerate: the tubers become sick, rot, the flowers become sparse and small. There are cases described when it is recommended to dig up crocuses once a year:
There are cases described when it is recommended to dig up crocuses once a year:
- in regions with cold winters to protect against freezing;
- to prevent the spread of diseases;
- in order to obtain young planting material.
Weather for cleaning
The dormant period for autumn plants is June-August, for spring plants - July-September. It begins when the leaves of the flower fall to the ground, turn yellow and begin to peel off easily.
This is the best time to dig up crocuses after flowering for replanting, propagation and storing tubers for storage.
A dry, cool day is suitable for this type of work.
The process of digging up crocuses
- pitchfork;
- a piece of polyethylene or tarpaulin;
- pruner;
- plastic box;
- household gloves.
Then proceed like this:
To the side of the crocus bushes, a prepared piece of film is spread on the ground. At a distance of 5-7 cm from the bush, drive the pitchfork to the full possible depth and remove the earthen lump onto the film. They carefully break it apart and take out all the tubers. They are cleared of soil manually or using a water jet
The roots are carefully cut with pruning shears. The bulbs are placed in a box, transferred to a shady place and dried, laid out on a flat surface in one layer. The problem of how to dig up planting material to replant crocuses has been solved
The problem of how to dig up planting material to replant crocuses has been solved.
History of the use of the crocus flower in culture
The Latin name of the crop, crocus, comes from the word kroke, which is translated from Greek as thread and is obviously associated with the presence of long thread-like pistils. The word “saffron” in Arabic means “yellow”, and reflects another valuable quality of the flower, namely the presence of a coloring substance in the pistils, which has been used for many centuries as a natural, including food coloring.
Crocus has long been widely used in culture; it is valued not only as an ornamental plant, but mainly as a food plant, as well as a source of bright yellow paint. The beneficial qualities of the flower have been known to mankind for many millennia. Saffron paint already existed in the Neolithic era, i.e. 7000 BC e., its traces are found in rock paintings of that time.
The spice called saffron is obtained from one type of autumn crocus, saffron sativum, it is considered one of the most ancient on earth, but today it is also very popular and extremely expensive. The ancient Sumerians first began to use the flower in this capacity; they also owned the first written mentions of the culture, found in a book dated 3000 BC. e Sumerian cuneiform.
The culture came to Europe in the 10th-13th centuries, during the Crusades, and soon became a flower of luxury, personifying wealth and high position. The crocus symbol adorned the coats of arms of royal dynasties, in particular the Bourbons.
Description of the plant
Crocus
in a pot can become a bright accent for the spring and winter holidays.
This plant is
very tender and delicious.
It usually begins to bloom in the spring, after the snow has melted, a little later than snowdrops. Some varieties of Crocuses
may bloom in autumn.
Homeland of Crocus
is located in the tropics of the Mediterranean, but even in our climate it lives quite comfortably.
If to Crocuses
If you apply specific methods, you can achieve their flowering for a specific holiday, for example, the New Year.
How to care for the flower Women's Happiness (Spathiphyllum)
Caring for this flower at home requires some effort and knowledge.
Crocus
- a low-growing plant that usually does not grow more than 20 cm. It reproduces by bulbs that have a classic round and slightly flattened shape.
Crocus
never reach more than 3 cm in diameter
The top covering of the bulb has a scaly structure. And at the bottom there are fibrous roots.
Escapes at Crocus
usually not formed. During or after flowering, it can produce narrow plates connected into a bunch.
The flowers of the plant resemble small bells or glasses. They grow singly and reach 5 cm in diameter when opened.
The color range is very diverse. The flower can include all tones: purple, blue, yellow, white, lilac, magenta, orange and cream.
Crocuses
They can be single-colored, spotted, two-colored, or streaked.
Conditions favorable for autumn crocuses
Autumn crocuses are much more flexible in their light requirements. Sharoyan and valley crocus love shade or partial shade, but other species are better provided with diffused lighting, sunny and bright places, or at least a semi-shaded location. For autumn crocuses, a growing strategy with a sunny location in spring and autumn and a shaded location in summer is suitable.
Sharoyan's saffron, or Sharoyan's Crocus (Crocus scharojanii). Desvil
Crocuses do not like winds and drafts, so protected areas are chosen for them. The thing is that the flowers of these plants are sensitive to cold autumn winds, and the more protection their “neighbors” provide them, the better.
The location for planting autumn crocuses must be selected so that during the dormant period they do not suffer from getting wet and grow in dryness and warmth. That is why you need to choose either elevated, well-drained places (for example, on alpine hills and rockeries). Another option is to lay drainage during planting.
Pay attention to the soil too. For crocuses, choose light, loamy soils that drain water well
The only exception is the Dutch varieties and hybrids, which tolerate even heavy soil. Be sure to make sure that the soil is neither acidic nor alkaline: crocuses love neutral soils. But they are not so demanding when it comes to fertility: the richest soils and rather poor soils are suitable for crocuses.
When to plant crocuses in pots?
Crocuses require approximately 3.5 months (15 weeks) from planting to flowering. Based on this, crocuses are planted in a pot for forcing in order to obtain a flowering plant by a certain time. For example, if you want to surprise with blooming crocuses for the New Year, you need to plant them in mid-September; if planting is in the first ten days of October, flowering will occur by February 14th. Planting on November 15 will allow you to get a magnificent bouquet in the hill by March 8.
However, simply planting the corms in a pot is not enough. Before this, they are kept in the cold for a week. When buying bulbs in the summer, they are kept at room temperature, and then brought into a cool room for 1-2 weeks, after which they are kept in the basement until August 10, where the temperature does not exceed 17 ° C. From August and the moment of planting, crocuses are kept in the refrigerator, in the lower fruit compartment.
Crocuses need to be planted in sand, with a layer of drainage placed at the bottom. The corms are placed closely together to produce a lush, dense bouquet of flowers. In this case, children are not formed, so the distance between crocuses is kept to a minimum.
Saffron, or Crocus as it is commonly called, is a magnificent spring flower that belongs to the iris family. They begin to please the eye in early spring and bloom for 7 to 10 days, while the leaf of the flower does not fade until summer and perfectly decorates the garden with its foliage. It is a perennial plant, so it will delight your eyes for many years. If desired, with the onset of dormancy, the crocus tuber can be dug up and stored in the sand. This is done in cases where you want to move the flower to another area of the garden or remove diseased corms.
The crocus is a low-growing plant, reaching a height of only 10 cm. The stem of the crocus does not grow from the moment of flowering, remaining in its original form. The leaves of the flower are, as it were, collected in a bunch, and can grow during and after flowering. There are also types of crocuses that do not have leaves.
Chrysanthus: representatives and characteristics of varieties
A distinctive feature of the chrysanthus group of crocuses is their color, which is usually either bluish or yellow.
Gypsy Girl
The bud has the shape of a cup that opens very wide. The outer surface is painted in a light yellow tint, and the inner surface is painted in bright yellow tones.
Gypsy Girl has bright cup-shaped buds
Marietta
The yellow petals of the crocus resemble an oval in appearance. They look very impressive in the flowerbed, thanks to the combination of cream and bright yellow shades.
Lady Killer
Yellow crocuses look a little flat when they bloom. Their diameter in diameter is approximately 3 cm. The lobes have a snow-white tint on the inside.
Saturnus
The flowers of this variety open quite widely. At the base there are often brownish-brown spots that are characteristic of this species.
