sardensis—Like luciliae, but deeper blue without the white eye.
CARE. Gritty soil. Moisture. Mulch with manure in the fall. Light and sun. Hardy and easy to grow. Makes a ground carpet.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (seeds itself except for some varieties which increase below ground), offshoots.
SPECIAL USES. Ground cover, rock gardens, forcing.
Colchicum Liliaceae Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron
Usually called crocus, this fall bloomer actually is a lily.
autumnale—Crocus-like flowers four inches across from September to frost. Leaves two inches wide in spring. Usually has purple flowers. There are several varieties: album, white; roseum, pink and often double; ‘The Giant,’ large, late, lilac and white (best-known variety).
bornmuelleri—Generally considered the finest species with five-inch-wide flowers, rosy-lilac turning to purple and the tube white.
luteum—Rare spring-flowering species, flowers yellow and smaller, leaves slim and less conspicuous.
speciosum—Large leaves, and flowers with pink or white throats. The white variety album is also large and is often considered the most beautiful of hardy bulbous plants.