Crocus

Family. Iridaceae.

Origin. Europe, North Africa and Asia.

Description. 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.

Flowers often form 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 bud, up to 5 cm in diameter, bears large yellow stamens with a large amount of orange pollen.

Many species have a pleasant and quite strong aroma, attracting pollinating insects.

Height. Up to 20 cm.

Planting and care

The timing of planting in open ground will depend on the flowering time. If the crocus variety 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 fall, then the spring months are chosen for planting.

For planting, 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 - in such conditions, the bulbs will rot.

Dig up the soil and remove weeds. To improve nutrition, add a sufficient amount of organic matter to the soil - humus or well-rotted manure. If there is no organic matter, then the substrate can be enriched with superphosphate granules.

In order for the soil to better pass moisture and become loose, river sand and wood ash are added to it.

If the soil has an acidic pH, it must be adjusted by adding lime or crushed chalk.

For planting, holes are prepared, the distance between which is maintained in accordance with the planting scheme. Crocuses can be planted in groups and used as a border plant.

The depth of the planting holes should be 2-3 times greater than 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 at a depth of 2 times greater than the height of the tuber, and if the soil is loose, then deeper.

Since crocus quickly forms daughter bulbs and they become cramped, a distance of 7-12 cm is maintained between the planting holes.

Before planting, the bulbs are soaked for half an hour in a fungicide solution.

Only healthy planting material is selected for cultivation - the bulbs must be dense, without soft areas and mechanical damage.

The scale surface should not have wrinkles, spots or any signs of disease. The scales should fit tightly to the walls of the bulb and not swell.

The bulbs are placed in planting holes and watered with warm water. The surface of the soil can be slightly compacted after planting.

The plant seeds are also suitable for planting in open ground. The planting dates can change regardless of the flowering dates.

When planting in autumn, the time is chosen so that the first shoots do not have time to appear before the onset of winter. When planting in autumn, the seeds will undergo a period of cool stratification naturally.

Before sowing the seeds in the spring, they are sprinkled with a small amount of wet river sand and placed in the refrigerator for 3 weeks to undergo cool stratification.

Care in open ground

Crocus is easy to care for - the flower is quite unpretentious and does not require special care.

When grown in open ground, periodically feed and loosen the soil surface, and also weed the area to remove weeds.

Water the plants only when the soil dries to a depth of several centimeters.

For spring-flowering species, the first feeding is applied over the snow, evenly distributing the fertilizer over its surface. As the snow melts, the soil is saturated with nutrients. For autumn-flowering varieties, feeding begins with the appearance of the first signs of new growth.

The second feeding of flowers is carried out when buds are forming, and the last - after flowering.

In the autumn months, for bulbs wintering outdoors, it is worth organizing a shelter - sprinkle the area with a thick layer of mulch from straw or rotted sawdust. Without additional shelter, the bulbs can withstand frosts down to -18 degrees Celsius.

If rodents appear on the site, then after the above-ground part dies off, the bulbs are dug up and stored indoors. 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.

Each bulb can form from 2 to 10 daughter bulbs during one season, and over time, a whole carpet of flowers can form on the site of planting one bush. Such dense plantings are replanted every 3-5 years.

For replanting plants that bloom in the spring, use the autumn months, and for varieties that bloom in the fall, it is better to use spring replanting.

After digging, the bulbs are cleaned of old soil and dried in a warm place.

Before planting, store the planting material in a dry, dark and fairly cool place at a temperature of about 4–9 degrees Celsius.

Propagation 

Crocus reproduces by small daughter bulbs or seeds. The bulbs are separated from the mother plants during transplantation. The first buds will decorate the plants obtained by division in 2-3 years.

Crocus can also be grown from seeds. Reproduction by seeds is quite simple and when growing a flower, self-seeding can often be found under it.

Not all varieties form seeds, even with pollination. When grown in a harsh climate, autumn-flowering varieties do not have time to form seeds, so this method of reproduction is only suitable for spring species.

After flowering, the bushes produce seed pods, which 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 cloth bags or paper bags.

• Before planting, the seeds are soaked in a fungicide solution 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.

As the seedlings develop, they are transplanted into larger pots. The first feeding is done after picking - after 10-15 days.

Specimens obtained from seeds bloom only after 4-5 years.

Since seed propagation requires a long time before the first flowering, it is mainly carried out by breeders to develop new varieties.

Containment temperature

When growing in pots, create the conditions in which crocuses grow in nature.

Before planting, the bulbs of spring-flowering varieties should undergo preliminary cold stratification for 12-15 weeks at a temperature of about 5 ° C.

After planting, the pots are left at a temperature of 5 - 9 ° C for some time until the first signs of growth appear.

When the leaves reach a height of 3 - 5 cm, the seedlings are sent to a warmer place - with a temperature of 10 - 15 ° C.

After flowering, the temperature can be slightly increased - to about 17 ° C. If the air temperature rises above 20 ° C, the flowering time will be significantly reduced.

Low night temperatures, bordering on negative, help to extend the flowering period. In such conditions, buds will decorate the bushes for 3 weeks.

Don't be afraid of low temperatures - in their natural environment they can withstand frosts down to -10-15°C even during flowering.

When it blooms

In natural conditions, many species bloom very early in the spring; flower stalks often break through the snow. Among crocuses, there are not only spring-flowering varieties, but also varieties that bloom in the autumn months.

When forced, the bush 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.

Unfortunately, the specific flowering times can depend not only on the conditions of maintenance, but also on the varietal characteristics, so in order to get a flower by March 8, it is worth adapting to a certain variety for 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 the fall, of course, it is better to use autumn-flowering varieties.

For indoor cultivation, large-flowered plants of Dutch selection are most often used - they will fully comply with the stated characteristics.

Lighting

During the dormant period, when the 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 to 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.

When the buds open, you can move the crocuses to the shade, as in such conditions the flowers will remain open longer. Exposure of the buds to direct sunlight can shorten the flowering time.

If there is not enough sunlight, artificial lighting can be used. Using LED or fluorescent lamps, the bushes are illuminated in the morning or evening hours to increase the length of daylight.

Forcing

At home, crocuses are often used for forcing - using different planting dates, you can get a live bouquet by any desired date. Only mature, strong bulbs are suitable for forcing.

Such plantings bloom indoors for one season, in the second year it is better to transfer the plants to open ground.

After flowering, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and die - do not remove them, as they will continue to feed the bulbs. Only flower stalks with wilting buds should be trimmed. Flower stalks are separated from plants using a sharpened sterile instrument.

Before storing, the planting material is cleaned of old soil residues. 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 moistened from time to time, or in paper bags.

Every week, the bulbs are taken out and sorted, checking for rot.

Autumn-flowering species require a higher storage temperature - about 20 ° C - it is in these conditions that flower buds are formed.

Soil

Crocus needs organic-rich and well-drained soil, 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.

Transplanting 

Crocuses are planted annually, in autumn or spring, in shallow bowls with large drainage holes.

1. A drainage layer of expanded clay, clay shards, broken bricks or pieces of polystyrene is placed at the bottom of the pot.
2. 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.
3. In order to get a fairly lush bush, 5 - 10 bulbs are planted in each pot.
4. Place the bulbs so that there is about 2-3 cm of soil between them. When planting, the bulbs should not touch the sides of the pot.
5. 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.
6. 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. 

Feeding

Annual planting in fresh soil allows crocuses to do without additional feeding in most cases.

If the soil is not nutritious enough, treat the bush with liquid mineral fertilizers for flowering plants 1-2 times a month before flowering. After flowering, it is worth doing another 1-2 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, after abundant watering. If the concentrated solution gets on the root system in dry soil, it can cause a chemical burn.

When growing, do not use mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content - with such feeding, the bulbs become overgrown and loose, easily susceptible to rotting and fungal diseases.

Crocuses can be fed with both mineral solutions and organic matter. As organic matter, you can use cow or horse manure, a solution of bird droppings, humus. All organic matter used must be well rotted.

Plants tolerate a lack of nutrients more easily, using the reserves found in the bulbs than an excess amount of fertilizers.

Air humidity

Does not require spraying and tolerates fairly dry air. Air humidity is increased mainly to protect against the invasion of harmful insects.

To increase humidity, do not use spraying - drops of moisture falling on flowers and buds can spoil their appearance.

It is best to place the flower pot on a tray filled with wet gravel and periodically spray the pebbles. With this method of growing, the surface of the water should always be below the bottom of the pot.

A regular room humidifier will help increase air humidity, but you can do without it - just place any wide open container of water next to the flower.

Keep the plants in ventilated rooms with a good flow of fresh air.

Watering

The frequency of watering 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 blades 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.

Regularly moisten the soil in the pots when buds are forming.

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.

For watering, use settled tap or filtered water at room temperature.

Pests and diseases

• Crocuses will not bloom without preliminary cold stratification, which is carried out for at least a week.
• When water stagnates, the bulbs rot and the leaves turn yellow.
• Sometimes viral diseases appear.
• Fungal diseases may cause gray rot and fusarium to appear on the flower.
• Flowering may not occur if the dormant period spent by the bulbs in a cool place was shorter than 3 months.  

When grown outdoors, the bulbs can be eaten by mice. Also, harmful insects such as wireworms, slugs and snails may appear on the street. Both at home and outdoors, crocuses can be attacked by aphids and thrips.

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.

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 heat treatment.

Flowers look very advantageous in group plantings and when grown on alpine hills.

Crocuses are one of the very first plants to decorate a garden plot with their blooms in spring.  

Note, interesting facts

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. 

Varieties:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 petals of the flowers are painted in a bright, golden-orange hue, and their outer side remains brown or burgundy.

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.

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.

Crocus  Goldilocks

 The variety is characterized by half-opened bright golden flowers with uniform, oval petals. Flowering occurs in spring.

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.

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. 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.

Crocus sieberi Tricolor

 One of the brightest varieties of Crocus Sieber - it has flowers with wide, almost rounded petals, painted in 3 different shades - purple, white and orange in the center of the flower.

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.

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.

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.

Crocus Versicolor Picturatus

 A white-flowered variety, the flower petals have dark, purple stripes on the outside.

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.

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. 

Crocus tommasinianus Barr's  Purple

 The variety is distinguished by brightly colored, rich, wide-open buds of lilac, purple, or pink. The center of the flowers is often a lighter shade.

Crocus angustifolius

 Bulbous flowering plants with narrow, dark green leaves with a silvery longitudinal vein in the center. Peduncles are short, white, thick. Flowers with golden-orange petals, colored brown on the outside. The flowering period begins in spring.