My Fall Blooming Colchicum
Wherever you live, I hope you’re able to enjoy the beautiful blooms of those fall perennials called Colchicum.
Colchicum produces such cheerful colors when most other plants have faded. Over the seasons, I've planted a number of colchicum corms around my farm - near my front gate, along the edge of my Stewartia garden, under my tall, handsome bald cypress trees, and outside my Winter House. The blossoms are gorgeous with large, elongated petals of fuchsia and soft lilac, some even a crisp white. I am so happy these plants are flourishing.
Enjoy these photos.
-
- Guests that come around this time of year often ask, “what are those flowers that look like crocus?” The common name for Colchicum is autumn crocus, but they are not true autumn crocus because there are many species of true crocus which are autumn blooming. Also, Colchicum flowers have six stamens while crocuses have only three.
-
- Colchicum is a member of the botanical family Colchicaceae and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coast, down the East African coast to South Africa and the Western Cape.
-
- Most Colchicum plants produce their flowers without any foliage – this is why these flowers also go by the common name “naked ladies” or “naked boys”.
-
- Colchicums require little effort to grow. And when the weather is mild, colchicum’s flowers begin to unfurl.
-
- The scientific name comes from Colchis, a region on the coast of the Black Sea. The name Colchicum alludes to the poisonous qualities of the species. The plant contains an alkaloid known as colchicine, which is found in all parts, but mostly in the seeds.
-
- Because Colchicums are toxic, they provide a natural way to repel animals such as deer, mice, squirrels, and moles.
-
- Once open, Colchicums produce goblet-like blooms in shades of pink, violet, or white. They are large striking flower heads, with white at the base leading to pale pink at the apex.
-
- Some of the varieties we’ve planted at the farm include ‘Lilac Wonder’, ‘Waterlily’, ‘Dick Trotter’, Colchicum byzantinum, and Colchicum bornmuelleri. This one is “Waterlily” – a double petaled cultivar in soft pink.
-
- ‘Waterlily’ is a hybrid resulting from a cross of Colchicum autumnale ‘Alboplenum’ and Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’. Each flower resembles the form of a water lily, hence the cultivar name.
-
- Colchicums are quite delicate but spread nicely in the autumn garden. Colchicum is a good pollen source for bees in fall when little else is available for them.
-
- This variety is called Colchicum ‘Byzantinum.’ It is an early fall-blooming Colchicum which bears up to 20 small, funnel-shaped, soft lilac flowers that are four to six inches long.
-
- Recently, I was gifted some colchicum plants from my friend and plantsman, Dan Hinkley.
-
- Colchicum should be planted about six to 10 inches apart. They will look plentiful once established.
-
- Colchicum is best grown in a sheltered spot that enjoys afternoon sun because this encourages a good succession of wide-open flowers.
-
- These colchicums will be nice additions to the garden. By next season, they should also multiply.
-
- Here is an interesting variety called Colchicum ‘Harlekijn’ and shows amethyst violet with ivory white tops and an ivory white base, and green center.
-
- This white variety is growing outside my Basket House.
-
- Colchicum typically blooms from September to November. Here are some just beginning to open.
-
- Avoid windy sites, as these plants tend to get floppy.
-
- But like other bulbs, when they are done blooming, they need to be left until they dry out in order to supply nutrients to the bulb. And then come next fall, they will bloom beautifully once again.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
