SP.OR.COLAUTA-0010
Colchicum Autumnale Autumn Crocus is a gorgeous Autumn flowering bulbous flower that is native to Great Britain and much of mainland Europe. This beautiful variety emerges from its underground corm (bulb) at the end of winter and produces its leaves for the Spring, which generally last until early Summer, by which time the leaves die-off and the plant enters a dormant phase, only to emerge in early Autumn with stunning display of abundant lavender pink flowers.
The elegant flowers can last several months and provide a brilliant display, as they are not accompanied by any foliage, just stunning and elegant colour. Flowers of Colchicum Autumnale Autumn Crocus resemble those of a true Crocus, however belong to the order Liliales, and is related to the lily family, which also includes lilium varieties. Colchicum Autumnal Autumn Crocus is also known as Meadow Saffron, Common Autumn Crocus and Naked Lady.
Because of the cold conditions in their native habitat, for best results, Colchicum Autumnale Autumn Crocus seeds require at least 30 days of cold stratification to achieve any germination and will often require more than 60 days of cold stratification to achieve best results (germination can be sporadic if conditions are not ideal). Once established, this variety is a bulbous perennial, which means the plant will come back each Spring with a vengeance, with an even more vigorous burst of elegant colour.
It should be noted that the chemical compound colchicine is extracted from this flower variety, and whilst it has some applications in the medical industry, this plant is NOT EDIBLE, therefore should be grown in areas where children or pets may come into contact with it.