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CROCUS AND COLCHICUM
(AUTUMN CROCUS)

Crocus and Colchicum are plants with bulb-like roots called corms. They naturally occur in southern Europe, southwestern Asia, and northern Africa. Most are found in Mediterranean climates similar to California's. Like most bulb plants, leaves and flowers appear seasonally during the winter and spring and then dry up and disintegrate during the summer months. Crocuses tend to be spring-flowering and Colchicums fall-flowering. However, both genera have species that are exceptions to these rules. Most Crocuses and Colchicums prefer wet winters and very dry summers. Thus, it is best to plant them in a portion of the garden that does not get irrigated during the summer. Flowers and leaves rarely exceed 4 inches in height.

Crocus

C. abantensis	NW Turkey, flowers blue
C. alatavicus	C Asia, W. China, flowers white
C. ancyrensis	Turkey, flowers yellow/orange
C. angustifolius	SW Asia, flowers yellow
C. antalyensis	S Turkey, flowers lilac/yellow
C. banaticus	W Asia, flowers blue/violet
C. biflorus	SE Europe, SW Asia, flowers white/blue
C. chrysanthus	SW Asia, flowers yellow/orange
C. dalmaticus	SW Asia, flowers lilac
C. flavus	SW Asia, flowers yellow
C. fleischeri	W. Turkey, flowers white
C. korolkowii	SW & C Asia, flowers yellow
C. kotschyanus	SW Asia, flowers lilac
C. olivieri	SE Europe, SW Asia, flowers yellow/orange
C. sieberi	Crete, flowers lavender
C. tommasinianus	SE Europe, flowers lavender
C. vernus	SE Europe, flowers purple
C. versicolor	SW Europe, flowers white/lilac
C. vitellinus	Middle East, flowers orange

Colchicum

C. atropurpureum	SE Europe, SW Asia, flowers purple
C. bornmuelleri	NW Turkey, flowers pink/purple
C. byzantinum	SE Europe, flowers white
C. cilicicum	Turkey, flowers pink
C. giganteum	Turkey, flowers purple
C. graecum	Greece, flowers pink/purple
C. kesselringii	C & SW Asia, flowers white
C. luteum	C & S. Asia, flowers yellow
C. speciosum	SW Asia, flowers reddish violet
C. szovitsii	SW Asia, flowers pink/purple/white

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