Species Crocus, Ligurian Autumn Crocus

Crocus medius is one of the easiest of the autumn flowering crocuses to grow. However, here in St John's Newfoundland (Canadian zone 5b)...Read More it is not quite hardy outside, only lasting a year or two. On the other hand, it does very well in a clay pot sunk in sand in an unheated coldframe, contributing to the wonderful view from the window of my basement study during October when it flowers. I think it would do well a zone or two warmer.

The flowers are lilac with brilliant scarlet styles, yellow anthers, and a white throat, and last for two or three weeks, the leaves appearing later. According to Brian Mathew's book "The Crocus" it occurs wild in a fairly small region of NW Italy, mostly in the province of Liguria, and is related to C. nudiflorus (Spain) and C. longiflorus (SW Italy). I find it very difficult to distinguish from C. longiflorus in fact, a problem not helped by one of my suppliers sending me a mixture of the two under one name or the other! Longiflorus is supposed to be scented, have a yellow throat and have leaves starting at flowering time, but I don't think they have read the book themselves! Anyway, they are both lovely little crocuses. I repot every couple of years and usually have a few extra corms to give away to friends each time.