Family Iridaceae (Iridaceae). Early spring and autumn corm ephemeroids. In the most common types and varieties of corms, the corms are shiny, light brown, with thin parallel fibers, but in species crocuses they are diverse: there are similar to a coarse mesh loofah, membranous, etc.
They bloom in late April - early May (spring flowering) or in September - October (autumn flowering). Leaves grow back in April-May, die off by mid-June. Narrow-linear, with a white longitudinal stripe along the midrib; at the base, they are wrapped in transparent scaly leaves. Each corm produces one or more flowers that look like a glass on a thin stem.
The perianth rises to a height of 10-15 cm and consists of 6 leaves, of which 3 outer ones are somewhat larger than 3 inner ones and often differ in color from them. In some species of crocuses, the "glass" opens as it blooms, and the flower takes on a star-shaped shape.
From the thin part of the perianth - the tube - a filamentous column rises, divided at the end into 3 whole or dissected branches - stigmas, painted in yellow, orange or red. 3 stamens with large yellow or orange anthers are nicely arranged inside the flower.
The set fruit, an oblong capsule, sits underground for a long time, but as it ripens, it is brought to the surface on a short stalk.
Grown in a sunny area. Light loam is preferred, but heavy clay is also suitable for large-flowered Dutch Hybrids.
Responsive to fertility. Poor soil is improved by adding well-rotted manure, leafy soil and sand, the reaction of the soil should be close to neutral.
They are especially sensitive to waterlogging and grow better on high ridges:
- crocuses alatavsky,
- two-flowered crocus,
- Zibera crocus,
- crocus Korolkov,
- crocus Kochi,
- Pallas crocus,
- narrow-leaved crocus.
Crocus propagation
Children. Seeds (sowing in autumn). Seedlings appear next spring, bloom in the 4th-5th year.
Application in the garden
In flower beds under large perennials, shrubs and trees in natural gardens and landscape parks. On the slides.
Crocuses of the Dutch Hybrids group make it possible to create bright mixed groups on lawns and lawns. Early flowering species and varieties are used for forcing.
Types and varieties of crocus
Groups of varieties of spring-flowering crocuses:
Group Dutch Hybrids, or Large-flowered. Created on the basis of the spring Crocus species. There are about 30 varieties. These are very prolific, unpretentious plants, which are decorated with really large goblet flowers: on average, two times larger than those of wild ancestors.
Many hybrids differ in minor details of color or size, which becomes noticeable only when grown together, the flowering time of different varieties can differ by 3-7 days. All this allows you to create from them a variety of color combinations with long flowering.
White varieties
- Albiflorus '(Albiflorus') - outside along the perianth leaves is painted with light lilac shading, which becomes dark purple on the tube.
- ‘Albion’ (‘Albion’) - flowers of about the same color, but smaller.
- ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is one of the most popular and large varieties, featuring a lavender tube and narrow purple streaks in the center of each outer leaflet.
- ‘Kathleen Parlow’ (‘Kathleen Parlow’) - the flowers are pure white, only the tube is darkened with cream strokes.
- ‘Peter Pan’ (‘Peter Pan’) - with completely white and very large flowers.
- ‘Snowstorm’ (‘Snowstorm’) - stands out with bright purple stripes at the base of the flower.
Lilac varieties
- ‘Agnes’ (‘Agnes’) - has a small light lilac "glass" with a silver edge.
- Tlori of Sassenheim ’(‘ Glory of Sassenheim ’) is distinguished by a darker grayish tint, outside the tepals are covered with reddish-purple stripes, the tube is purple.
- ‘Grand Lila’ and ‘Striped Beauty’ - flowers are light lilac, like ‘Agnes’, but larger and flowers outside with dark stripes and a dark purple tube.
- ‘Jubilee’ (‘Jubilee’) - has a bluish-silver tint in combination with a dark purple tube.
- The ‘King of Striped’ is perhaps the largest flowered in this group; flowers are very light, almost white, but with purple shading outside.
- ‘Pallas’ (‘Pallas’) - in principle similar to Tlori of Sasenheim ’, but somewhat smaller.
- ‘Pickwick’ is even smaller and blooms 4-5 days later than them.
- ‘Purpureus Grandiflorus’ (‘Purpureus Grandiflorus’) is notable for the large size of flowers, the color of the "glass" is lilac-blue, which becomes darker on the tube.
- ‘Grand Mater’ (Grand Maitre ’) - the flowers are somewhat smaller.
- ‘Vanquard’ (‘Vanguard’) has pale lilac flowers with dark stripes on the outside, and the tube is white, but stripes from the tepals go over it.
Purple varieties
- ‘Irli perfection’ (‘Early Perfection’) - the flowers are pure purple, and the color is thickened downwards, and a white center is visible inside.
- ‘Flower Record’ (‘Flower Record’) - a small but bright purple, the three outer tepals have a light margin, the tube is dark purple.
- The ‘Little Dorrit’ lilac-purple background is diversified by dark stripes.
- ‘Negro Boy’ (‘Negro Boy’) - with flowers of a very dark saturated color, and the pipe is even darker.
- ‘Paulus Potter’ (‘Paulus Potter’) - a dark purple "glass" has a reddish tint - a real dark purple color.
- ‘Queen of the Blues’ (‘Queen of the Blues’) - a shade of blue, outside the flower is matte with a light edge, the tube is purple.
- ‘Re-membranes’ (‘Remembrance’) - has a grandiose shiny "glass", with dark purple "tan marks".
- ‘Rubi Giant’ is similar to ‘Paulus Potter’, but smaller.
- There is only one yellow variety in this group, but it has many names:
- ‘Mammoth Yellow’
- ‘Dach Yellow’ (‘Dutch Yellow’),
- ‘Yellow Giant’,
- 'Largest Yellow' gesture.
It comes from Crocus narrow-leaved and Crocus yellow, from which it got its bright golden color and the ability to bloom earlier than other "Dutch" for a whole week.
Group of Hybrids Chrysanthus. Hybrids bred on the basis of Golden Crocus, various natural forms of Crocus two-flowered and their hybrid (C. chrysanthus x C. biflorus).
They are not as large as the "Dutch", but complement their lilac-purple palette with a variety of yellow and bluish shades. On sale, like species of crocuses, they often go under the name "botanical".
Crocus alatavsky (C. alatavicus). Spring blooming. Corm in a soft parallel-fibrous sheath. The flowers are white on the inside, with a yellowish throat, on the outside with a light purple or yellowish brown tint, less often they are just white. The stigmas are whole, orange. Inhabitant of mountain meadows and foothills of Central Asia.
Banat crocus (C. banaticus). Autumn blooming. It has a delicate pinkish-lilac perianth, with a very characteristic structure: 3 inner tepals are almost 2 times shorter than the outer ones and lighter. The stigma is lilac, thinly dissected. Corm in a thin sheath with parallel fibers and a weak mesh. It grows in mountain meadows and in the forests of Romania and Yugoslavia, and also occurs in the Carpathians.
Spring crocus (C. vermis). Spring blooming. The flowers are pure lilac, outside with purple "tan" at the base, sometimes with a network of purple veins. There is a white-flowered form that grows worse. The stigma is dissected. Corm in a thin shell with parallel fibers, slightly reticulate. It occurs naturally in mountain meadows and light forests in the Alps and Pyrenees.
Two-flowered crocus (C. biflorus). Spring blooming. It has membranous, disintegrating corms shells. The stigma is intact. He has multi-colored natural forms, among which are pure white; lilac-blue, and outside with brownish spots; white with brownish-purple stripes on the outside, white on the inside and brownish-purple outside, bluish with darker outer tepals and variations on these themes.
Crocus yellow (C. flavus = C. aureus = C. luteus). Spring blooming. A corm in a membranous sheath, which splits at the bottom into parallel fibers.
Crocus Sieber (C. sieberi). Spring blooming. A small Greek crocus with a thin-reticulate corm shell and varying color: there are forms of a delicate pinkish-lilac color with a yellow center, there are white ones with purple stripes on the outside, there are also just purple ones with a yellow-white stripe when passing into the tube.
- ‘Firefly’, ‘Bowles White’, ‘Tricolor’ correspond to the above forms.
- ‘Hubert Edelsten’ (‘Hubert Edelsten’) has pinkish flowers with a striped base, like ‘Tricolor’.
Crocus Korolkov (S. korolkowii). Spring blooming. The corms' shells are membranous and split at the bottom into parallel fibers. Perianth yellow-orange inside, brownish-violet outside, stigmas are intact. Occurs in Central Asia on gravelly slopes.
Crocus Kochi, or zonatus (C. kotschyanus = C. zona-tus). Autumn blooming. The corm is noticeably flattened, in thin shells. The flowers are lilac, up to 4.5 cm long. Homeland - the Middle East.
Crocus beautiful (C speciosus). The best among the species of autumn crocuses. With large flowers, reaching a diameter of 7 cm. Flowers are painted in lilac tones with a mesh of purple veins, in the throat - white. The stigma is bright orange, thinly dissected. Corms in thin light shells that easily disintegrate into rings. It grows on the edges of mountain forests in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and the Balkans.
- 'Cassiope' is a large plant with bright pinkish-purple flowers.
- ‘Echisoni’ (‘Aitchesoni’) - with very long flowers, with pointed pale purple tepals.
- ‘Oxonian’ (‘Oxonian’) - with dark, blue-purple flowers.
- ‘Albus’ (‘Albus’) - with white flowers.
Crimean crocus (C. tauricus). Spring blooming. Flowers inside are usually light purple, almost white, there are also almost purple, with a yellow throat, dull outside with dark purple stripes. There is a shape with a light edge.
Open doors to tender spring crocuses... The forest edges and glades are covered with a continuous multi-colored carpet, without fear of the February cold.
Description and features of crocus
Only the snow will melt to the floor to replace the snowdrops, appear flowers crocuses(saffron). Elegant colors (white, blue, pink-purple, yellow), goblet inflorescences pop out through thawed patches.
The arrow with buds extends only 10 cm. If snowdrops are actively harvested for cutting, then crocuses are not suitable for such purposes.Flowering occurs in spring and autumn.
In the first group, the leaves jump out along with the arrows. Growth continues after flowering. By their appearance, the leaves are rigid, linear, narrow. The original strip of silvery white runs right down the center.
The second group of autumn flowering throws out leaves long before flowering (June). The next month they turn yellow and die off. Large inflorescences appear alone on peduncles.
Bulbous, perennial. Each corm can have 4 peduncles in the first growing season. Their number increases every year, hybrid varieties can have up to 10 arrows.
Planting and breeding crocus
Saffron should be planted in open meadows, closed from the wind on all sides. Any soil is suitable, but not acidic. Dislikes wetlands, snow accumulations. But light, organic, well-drained soil is what you need.
There are some nuances about organic - you can not use fresh manure, during digging, only rotted.
To make good drainage, it is enough to add coarse sand to the top layer of the earth. If there is no river sand, fine gravel will do.
The bulbs should be prepared in advance for planting. As soon as the leaves wither, dig them out, hold them in the air for a while to dry. Then, keep in a dark place with a temperature of 20 degrees C.
For a month before planting, keep in the refrigerator, and in September it can be planted in open ground. If the region is warm in autumn, it is better to postpone the planting to October. Corms should take root before freezing, but never germinate. If the planting site is sunny, bloom will come in early spring.
There are crocuses that bloom in the fall. Then planting crocus flowers- mid summer.Flowers can be propagated by children, seeds. In order for the bulb to give more babies, it must be transplanted every year.
As a result, the mother's bulb will form up to 2-3 babies. Seeds are sown in the same way as children in the fall. Only flowering after the seed planting method will come in 3-4 years.
Crocus flower at home grown for distillation. This is true for future holidays, for example, March 8, Valentine's Day. The whole process from planting to the appearance of flowers takes 3 months. For this, large hybrid bulbs are selected that bloom in spring. It could be Grand Leela, Jeanne d'Arc.
Several bulbs sit in one flowerpot, without touching each other and the walls, covered with soil, sand on top, watered abundantly. Substrate: turf, leafy soil, sand. Store containers in a dark place with a temperature of 8 degrees C.
As soon as sprouts up to 5 cm appear, the roots will stick out of the drainage holes, the flowerpots are transferred to a consecrated place. The temperature at this moment should be no more than 15 degrees C.
The light will do its job - the plants will quickly begin to stretch upward. To extend the flowering time crocus flower in a pot up to 3 weeks, it is necessary at night to reduce the temperature to 0 degrees C. It is possible to take it to an unheated terrace.
Crocus care
The plant is considered unpretentious and flower care crocus simple enough:
Watering should be done in spring, if the winter was not snowy. True, the dried land encourages rapid flowering. With enough moisture, the plants will be much taller. Do not irrigate during rest, as crocuses prefer to rest in dry ground.
When shoots appear, the soil must be loosened and freed from weeds.
Top dressing. Crocuses love organic matter, but only rotted. It is added during digging. Accompany active growth with mineral components. The first top dressing should be carried out with dry formulations - scattered directly over the snow. The second, after flowering - the composition of liquid mineral fertilizers should contain potassium and phosphorus. Potassium promotes the development of healthy bulbs, phosphorus ensures lush flowering.
The timing of excavation, transplantation is dictated by the flowering of the species. Spring varieties - June, autumn - the second decade of July.
In non-snowy and cold regions, it is better to mulch the plants. Fallen leaves, peat chips are well suited for this. Free from the shelter in the spring.
Crocus flower how to care and fight diseases, pests:
Rodents... They feed on bulbs in autumn, in winter. Rodents are also considered carriers of viral diseases, fungal infections. Use plastic boxes to protect against them. They are covered with them immediately after planting the bulbs in the fall and buried in the ground. A groove is made around, where the preparations from mice are poured, they are covered with a layer of earth on top.
Wireworms... Symptoms: The bulb is punctured through holes. In the fight against it, traps are used very successfully. A hole is made, where a layer of fresh grass, straw is poured, covered with a lid of boards on top. After a while, the wireworms will lay the larvae into the hole. Since they are quite satisfied with the nutrient medium, it is warm. Remove the contents of the well and incinerate. Set traps until they are completely destroyed.
Aphid... Signs: twisted shoots, honeydew formation. For preventive purposes, the planting material is treated before planting. Fight: spray the plant with karbofos.
Viral diseases... The cause and carriers of the virus are aphids, ticks, thrips. For prevention purposes, it is necessary to fight pests in a timely manner. If, nevertheless, crocuses are affected, they must be uprooted and burned, since viral diseases are incurable.
Fungal diseases cause the formation of rot, mold. The reason is improper care, pests, warm weather. Fight: destroy infected specimens, treat live plants with insecticides.
Crocus species
Crocuses, flowers can be divided into several categories. One of these groups includes plants with small inflorescences. Another group is distinguished by large buds, which also include hybrid varieties.
And here what colors are crocuses for example, hybrid and botanical varieties are not difficult to answer. The petals of the inflorescences are striking in an unusually different range: purple, yellow, white, two-colored.
In the photo there are bicolor crocuses
Spring crocuses - photo of flowers:
Ruby Giant Rubi (Giant). The cultivar has been removed from the Tommasini species. The inflorescences are lilac or pink on the outer edge of the petal and a white tint in the center. Bright yellow stamens stand out against the background of the petals.
In the photo crocuses Ruby Giant
Bring back(verni). An early variety of the Tommasini species. Purple, funnel-shaped buds with bright yellow stamens. Spring flowers crocuses appear in February.
Crocus flower return
Golden flowered saffron:
Flavi(flavi). A distinctive feature of the golden-flowered species is abundant flowering. Moreover, the corm throws out up to 10 peduncles with buds. Leaves are light green, narrow, with longitudinal stripes.
In the photo crocus flavi
Pickwick(Pickwick). The variety belongs to the Dutch species. The ancestors of its appearance are at once two types of the previous spring and yellow. Purple streaks stand out on the white field.
Crocus pickwick flower
Joan of Ark(Joan of Arc). Monochromatic buds will not leave you indifferent with their large, snow-white inflorescence. The variety belongs to the Dutch species. It is very popular among flower growers for its unpretentiousness and beauty.
In the photo crocus Joan of Arc
Crocuses blooming in autumn:
Blue Bird(Blue Bird). The inflorescences of the hybrid are blue, the name is translated as "blue bird", although it refers to the golden-colored species. The flowering period is August-September. Unpretentious, but rarely on sale. Florists still prefer spring flowering plants.
Crocus Blue Bird
Crocus beautiful(C. speciosus). A peculiarity of the species - peduncles jump out of the ground in September, without waiting for leaves. Those, in turn, will appear only in the spring, wilting will come in July. So there are arrows with magnificent large inflorescences of a light purple hue with dark veins.
In the photo, a beautiful crocus
Sowing crocus(Cultural saffron). A six-petal flower with a purple hue. Arrows with buds grow without leaves. An interesting detail - each inflorescence is on the peduncle for only two days.
Sowing crocus (Cultivated saffron)
The full cycle of autumn flowering is 15 days. The stigmas of the petals are of value in cooking, pharmaceuticals. Columns are collected and dried. If you try to determine the aroma of dry columns, then it resembles a mixed smell of bay leaf, nutmeg, coriander,.
Buy crocus flower in a pot, you can go to a flower shop or order it online. Crocus flower price varies from 400 rubles and more. If purchased in bulbs, they will appear on the shelves in large quantities in July.
As soon as the snow melts, crocuses bloom, decorating alpine slides, borders, flower beds with variegated colors. One of the leaf rosettes gave its name. "Kroke" in Greek means thread. Flowers are more often found in the wild in the Crimea, the Baltic States, the Caucasus, the Pyrenees, and Asia Minor. Although it is known over 200 types, the assortment is considered to be poor. They are appreciated not only for their beauty, but also for their ability to set off the taste and color of food. The familiar saffron is a crushed stigma of cold-resistant flowers.
Crocuses: growing, care, features
Height compact bush - 10 cm. Depending on the variety, the corms form up to 6 flowers ranging in size from 3, 5 to 6, 5 cm. In some species, up to 20. They look beautiful in a compositional design when several plants of the same species, but different shades. Combine well with other primroses.
Depending on the variety flowering time differs by 15 days. The period lasts 11-14 days and is influenced by weather conditions. After wilting, the leaves remain green until the sun bakes. They dry out by mid-June. During dormancy, the corms are dug up, sorted, then planted at the end of September. Until this time, they are stored at 23 С. Can be left in the flowerbed, provided that dry fragments are removed. They grow in one place for 6 years.
After flowering, when the leaves have not yet dried, annuals are planted. It is important not to touch the tubers during weeding. If this happened, the tubers are dug out, sprinkled with ashes, lie on the windowsill for a week. The root system tolerates cold well, but the flower bed is better in autumn insulate leaves and branches. Planting time for autumn varieties is the 3rd decade of July. Can be grown in pots, only they need different care.
Types and varieties of crocuses
Spring and autumn varieties are planted in gardens and parks. Compared to early late species:
- inferior in size;
- differ in narrow lobes;
- less commonly used in landscape design.
Among spring botanical species are widespread: golden-flowered crocus, Tommasini, Rubi Giant. Taplow Ruby corms form up to 20 variegated buds.
Yellow crocuses: Iellow Mammouth, Suzina with purple strokes on the perianth, Gipsy Girl, Large Iellow, Cream Beauty.
Blue and purple:
- The very first to bloom are Little Dorrit and Flower Record. Both species are distinguished by large petals - 6.2 cm. Queen oj the Blues is slightly inferior (5.5 cm).
- Especially beautiful: Blue Bird, Purpureus Grandiflorus, Remembrance, Eaily Perfection, Skyline, Blue Pete, Negroboy.
White varieties are popular: White Beauty, Snow Bun, Albus Spinozus, two-tone striped: King of the Striped, Striped Beauty.
Dutch crocuses appeared as a result of crossing 2 varieties - spring and golden. The collection is presented in rainbow colors. Stand out against the background of others: lilac Joan of Arc, white Joan of Arc with many flowers. Suitable for forcing: Flower Record, Early Perfektion.
The collection of autumn plants is not so diverse. Popular species - beautiful crocus (propagating by seedlings, cultivated saffron).
Outdoor crocus care
Flowers do not like acidic soil. It is better to prepare the earth in advance. River sand with rotted manure is poured into heavy soil at the rate of 15 kg per 1 sq. m. Whimsical varieties are planted on bulk beds made of drainage and gravel. Perfect. Here it is better to do without manure, otherwise the root system will die. Digging is performed by 20 cm.
Areas contaminated with weed rhizomes are not suitable for planting. Where snowdrifts lie for a long time, it is also not worth planting them. This prevents sprouting and abundant flowering. It is better to choose an open place, but in partial shade some varieties, like the valley, Sharoyan feel comfortable. The flowering period also depends on the location of the flower bed. In places with diffused sunlight, the bud opening time is postponed by 10 days. Autumn species prefer to grow in direct light. The buds fully open in sunny weather and only slightly on cloudy days.
Depth of pits affects flowering. In the holes up to 10 cm, flowers are well formed, but the corms are medium-sized. It is recommended to plant them at a distance of up to 15 cm. The distance between the rows is 5 cm. It is better to pour crushed stone into the hole for drainage. In order to decorate the flower beds, flowers are planted nearby. However, it is necessary to take into account the growing period in one place. With long-term cultivation in one area without digging, it is better to do with a rare planting.
Seed propagation method suitable for valuable species in order to obtain planting material. Before landing in the ground, they are stratified. Seedlings are small, so it is better to plant them in containers, cover with spunbond or black film. In the first case, watering is not required before the emergence of seedlings. The first flowers appear in seedlings after 3 years.
Care consists in weeding, loosening, two dressings mineral fertilizers during the period of active growth. The first time they are scattered over the snow. At the beginning of the growing season, it is allowed to add urea, but if you miss the time, nitrogen will stimulate not only the growth of leaves, but also cause a fungal disease. After flowering, poor soils are fed with mineral fertilizers from phosphorus, potassium and a small amount of nitrogen. On rich soils, superphosphate is applied - 25 g per 1 sq. M. Phosphorus is essential for abundant flowering, potassium for healthy bulbs. It is important to observe watering mode... Excessive moisture is poorly tolerated by the roots. The exception is the crocuses of Sharoyan and Geyfel.
Crocus pests and diseases
Like all bulbous flowers, flowers have problems. When light spots appear, the buds do not open. Plants are harvested, the earth is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Dangerous fungal diseases... Their presence is evidenced by dots, spots under the scales transforming into fusarium, sclerocial and penicillous rot. If, before planting, the corms are treated with a special solution and dried, an unpleasant phenomenon can often be avoided.
- Bulbs are always inspected for mold before planting.
- Fresh material is not placed next to old plantings.
- When flowers are late planted, they do not have time to form a strong root system. In the spring they quickly rot and die. Plants are harvested immediately.
Flowers often appear with compressed petals that open in half. Such plants are called viral and they must be distinguished from faded ones, in which a semi-dry glass falls on its side. Patients are characterized by faded spots on the buds. Pathogenic microbes from the juice are carried aphids and thrips, which leads to the infection of neighboring. Spring crocus hybrids are more often affected. Diseased bulbs are thrown away.
Small holes in yellow tubers - the result of the activity of wireworms - click beetles... If there are a lot of them, at the end of April, bunches of not rotted grass or hay are buried in the ground, boards are placed on top. In search of warmth, the beetles willingly move inside and after a couple of days they generously cover the surface with yellow dots. The straw is removed and burned. The process is repeated several times. Slugs love to live on groundbreds, so crocuses are planted away from thyme or phlox, otherwise the flowers will not even have stems left.
Last tip: you don't need to grow flowers in one place for years
Crocus Ruby Giant is a perennial bulbous plant with extraordinary, cupped lilac inflorescences and a snow-white base of the petals of the buds. The culture blooms in early spring. The plant is suitable for those who do not want to wait for summer to enjoy the colorful bloom. The early flowering plant comes from the buttercup family. Stems are thin, tubular. The leaves are long, growing from the ground, bright green in color. The inflorescences are large, goblet-shaped, snow-white from the base, gradually turning into a purple color. The core is bright orange, creating a bright contrast. When flowering, delicate inflorescences exude a pleasant aroma.
Subtleties of planting crocus Ruby Giant
- To get early, abundant, spring flowering, you need to plant the bulbs in August or early September.
- Use loose, drained soil for planting.
- Choose sunny places for planting, partial shade does not allow the buds to open.
The advantages of growing a variety
- The main advantage of the Ruby Giant crocus is its extraordinary, large, bright inflorescences of interesting colors using the amber technique.
- Unpretentious care and unpretentious planting makes the culture very attractive.
- Abundant, spring flowering of the plant will provide a decorative look to flower beds and flower beds.
Hurry up to place an order for a gentle, bright, unpretentious Ruby Giant crocus in our store. Modern methods of packing planting material will ensure the safety of the bulbs during transportation. Fill your spring garden with new, delicate colors and surround with an aura of pleasant scent!
My favorites are among the first to bloom in the garden after the snow melts - crocuses... These flowers are surprisingly unpretentious: it is enough to plant them once, and for many years they will make their way through the snow and last year's grass to herald the arrival of the next spring. I also like the fact that you can plant them almost anywhere - since crocuses bloom early, they will be appropriate everywhere, and later other, later flowers will hide their withering foliage.
Blooming crocuses are the messengers of spring. Photo
Growing crocuses and caring for them
It is very easy to propagate crocuses: they give many daughter bulbs, and after just two or three years a dense nest is formed at the planting site, which is dug when the plant fades, divided and planted in a new place.Spring-flowering crocuses are planted in autumn; autumn - in summer. They feel good both in sunny areas and in the diffused shade of shrubs and trees. In brightly lit meadows, flowering will be more abundant. Planting depth crocuses - from 5 to 10 cm, depending on the size of the bulb; distance between bulbs- up to 10 cm.
Crocus growing is not difficult; it is enough to choose a place for them with permeable and loose soil: with stagnant water, the bulbs will rot. If the soil in the area is clayey, dense, and heavy, add sand and compost as you prepare the planting site.
Crocuses reproduce well and require little or no maintenance. Photo
Crocus care is practically not required. You can mulch the soil for the winter with compost or foliage; remove the flowers as they wither so that they do not disturb the beauty of the composition. Leaves should not be ripped off until they wilt by themselves, otherwise you may weaken the bulbs.
Crocuses in the garden
Crocuses look best in group landings- so their bright colors are more noticeable and expressive. They can be combined with other primroses and combined with each other.Crocuses planted near stones look amazing: delicate flowers stand out against the background of strict boulders, and this contrast is very decorative, therefore crocuses are good plants for rockeries, rocky hills, but here botanical species are more appropriate than Dutch hybrids. Crocuses are good both among lawn greenery and under bushes. If you plant crocuses on the lawn, keep in mind that you should not mow the grass in this area before their leaves completely wither.
Large-flowered crocus "Pickwick". Photo
You can find other ideas for using crocuses and other bulbous flowers in garden design in the article.
Crocus classification
Crocuses growing in our gardens are conventionally divided into botanical (small-flowered) and large-flowered Dutch hybrids. Botanical crocuses, in turn, are spring-flowering and autumn-flowering; sometimes among the spring flowering, early spring is especially distinguished, the flowering period of which in some regions may begin as early as February.Both botanical and hybrid flowers can have different colors; most often there are white, yellow crocuses and flowers of all kinds of shades of purple. In addition, there are plants with an unusual two-tone color of flowers. The thin long leaves of crocuses can also be two-colored: in many varieties and hybrids, they have bright longitudinal white stripes.
If you also like crocuses, take a look at our catalog, which contains the proposals of various garden online stores, and to choose varieties for your garden.
Dutch crocuses known to flower growers as large-flowered, are hybrids based on spring crocus and (partially) yellow crocus. The color range of Dutch crocuses is incredibly wide; among them there are many varieties with a two-color color, for example, the popular "Pickwick", distinguished by its characteristic lilac-purple streaks against a white background. White is very popular among monochromatic varieties. "Joan of Arc" forming many large flowers.
Large-flowered crocus "Jeanne d" Ark. Photo
Some varieties of Dutch crocuses are suitable for forcing: Flower Record, Early Perfektion, Pickwick other.
Crocuses blooming in autumn are no less diverse, but they are much less common, and they were also less widely selected, so the choice of varieties is small. The two most famous types of autumn crocuses are: beautiful crocus, excellently multiplying by self-seeding, and sowing crocus(it is also cultural saffron - it is its stigmas that have been used as raw materials for obtaining natural dyes and spices since ancient times).
Unfortunately, I haven't managed to get autumn-blooming crocuses yet. The planting material may have been eaten by mice. These rodents are the main enemies of the bulbs, and in order to save the planting from them, you have to use special plastic baskets. True, planting flowers in them is not convenient everywhere - for example, under bushes it is not a very good idea.
Every year I look forward to the snow melting and these bright messengers of spring opening to meet the sun. Do crocuses bloom in your garden?
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