Sometimes in autumn, on the threshold of a long winter, at least for a little while you want to remember spring. And this is quite possible! There is an interesting group of plants called ephemeroids, which bloom like spring primroses, only in the fall, not in the spring. They are distinguished by the ability to suspend life processes during unfavorable periods for them, which include summer heat and drought, and resume growth in cooler seasons. Delicate flowers appear unexpectedly in early September, and in some plants even in October, and bloom until frost. How is this possible? Autumn ephemeroids have an interesting life cycle– in the spring, stems, leaves and fruits appear, and by the beginning of summer, the entire above-ground part of the plants dies off. The plant accumulates vitality in the rhizome, tuber or bulb, and in the fall produces flowers, but without leaves.

Autumn ephemeroids include many species of colchicums and some types of crocuses. They are sometimes confused due to some external similarities, but this different plants from different families. Plants also differ in the shape and size of the corms. In crocuses they are much smaller, their shape is spherical and flattened. Colchicum corms are more like bulbs, rather large and elongated. Crocus flowers have 3 stamens, while crocus flowers are larger and have 6 stamens.

I propose to understand the details and characteristics of autumn ephemeroids by considering the most popular types and varieties, as well as the features of their cultivation and use.

Autumn crocuses

The genus Crocus belongs to the iris family (Iridaceae).

Most species of these corms belong to spring-flowering ephemeroids, but there are also many that prefer to bloom in autumn. Most often, beautiful crocus is grown in our gardens, especially its varieties with flowers different shades, Sharoyan and valley crocus are used a little less often.

Beautiful crocus(Crocus speciosus). One of the most beautiful autumn crocuses. It is found in nature in the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Balkans, and also in Asia Minor, where it lives on the edges of mountain forests. Its spherical, slightly flattened corm has a diameter of up to 2.5 cm. In the spring, leaves up to 30 cm long appear, and by the beginning of summer they die off. This species blooms in September – October. One corm usually produces from 1 to 3 flowers, which are colored lilac tones. They are quite large, about 7 cm long, and the total height with the tube is up to 15 cm.

This species blooms in September – October.
One corm usually produces 1 to 3 flowers.

Popular varieties:

● Albus– white-flowered crocus;
● Artabir– flowers are large, light lilac;
● Aitchesoni– flowers are long, pale purple;
● Cassiope– distinguished by bright large pink-violet flowers with a yellow center;
● Oxonian- flowers are dark purple.

(Crocus scharojanii). Its natural range is Ciscaucasia and Western Transcaucasia. This species is valued for the beautiful orange-yellow color of its flowers. It blooms in September - October, is very decorative, and has been used in culture for a long time.

Or hillock (Crocus vallicola). In nature, it is found in the alpine meadows of Transcaucasia and Northern Turkey. Plant height up to 12 cm, white flowers appear in September.

Colchicums

These are also corms of perennials from the genus Colchicum (Colchicum), which belongs to the Colchicum family (Colchicaceae). Latin name Colchicum is due to the fact that some species grow in Western Georgia, which has long been called Colchis. Although the range of crocus is much wider, they grow almost throughout Europe, North Africa, Western and Central Asia. There are more than 70 species of crocus. They prefer to live in wet meadows.

The name conveys the unique character of the plant – it blooms “without time.” Indeed, some species bloom in the spring and behave like typical ephemeroids, while others, on the contrary, bloom exclusively in the fall. There are many popular names for these plants: autumn flower, autumn color, untimely color, poisonous crocus, “son before father.”

Colchicum corms are much larger than those of crocuses, their shape is somewhat elongated, slightly elongated. In early spring large leaves appear, dying off by early summer. The flowers are quite large, funnel-shaped, bisexual, have 6 stamens and a pistil. The perianth tube is narrow with a six-part bend, up to 20 cm high. In most species, flowering occurs in autumn. At the same time, fertilization occurs, but the seeds do not have time to ripen. The ovary hides in the ground at a depth of up to 25 cm until spring, and in the spring the plant brings it to the surface along with the leaves. The leaves turn yellow and dry out, leaving the corm in the ground, which remains in a state of relative dormancy until August.

And another very important aspect: all parts of crocus are poisonous!

They contain alkaloids, one of which, colchicine, is used in medicine as an analgesic for certain diseases. This feature must be taken into account when growing plants; under no circumstances should the juice of damaged bulbs come into contact with the skin, not to mention tasting. This is very dangerous and can lead to severe poisoning. Therefore, you need to handle colchicum carefully using gloves.

Both species of colchicums and garden forms and varieties. Of the Colchicum species, the most commonly grown are Colchicum splendidus and Colchicum autumnale.

Colchicum splendid (Colchicum speciosum). Its habitat is the Caucasus and Asia Minor, where it is found in forests and wet meadows at altitudes from 150 to 3000 m above sea level. Stems, leaves and fruits appear in spring. The leaves are up to 30 cm long and about 6 cm wide, folded, reminiscent of wild garlic leaves. By June they die off. From 1 to 4 flowers develop from one corm. Pinkish-lilac in color, quite large, the length of the flower without a tube is up to 10 cm, they bloom in September and bloom for 3-4 weeks.

From 1 to 4 flowers develop from one corm.

This type of colchicum has several garden forms. The most popular of them:

● f. alba– blooms with large white flowers in the second half of September. Flower diameter up to 12 cm, length up to 14 cm;
● f. rubrum– flowers are red, large;
● f. giganteum– from one large corm weighing up to 130 g, up to 5 soft lilac flowers with a white center bloom. Blooms from the second half of September.

Autumn colchicum(Colchicum autumnale). The distribution area of ​​this species is almost all of Europe; it prefers to grow in wet meadows. The corm is oblong, flat on one side and convex on the other, its length is 5–7 cm, diameter is about 3 cm. The leaves are narrower and flatter than those of the magnificent colchicum, up to 30 cm long, appear in the spring, and die by June.

It blooms at the same time as the species described above, in September. The length of the flower without a tube is about 6 cm, and the total length is from 10 to 25 cm. From 1 to 4 flowers are formed from one corm. The color of the flowers is lilac-pink.

Varietal colchicums are mostly large-flowered hybrids obtained from crossing the magnificent, autumnal, Bornmüller, Bivon and some other species. We list only the most famous of them:

● Autumn Herald– purple flowers with a white center, blooms for a long time;
● Autumn Queen– purple flowers with more dark spot inside and with a white tubular part, a very impressive variety;
● Disraeli– large bright pink flowers, light in the middle;
● Giant– tulip-shaped flower of amethyst color with a white center, blooms in September – October, peduncles up to 30 cm high;
● Kerbert– blue-violet with a white base;
● Lilac Wonder– late variety with purple flowers with a white center;
● Premier– lilac-pink flower with a white center, late;
● Rosy Dawn– red flowers with a checkerboard pattern and a white center, blooms in October;
● Violet Queen– fragrant purple flowers with a checkerboard pattern and a white base;
●Waterlily- very beautiful purple double flowers.

Application in garden design

Touching delicate flowers of crocuses and crocuses are an elegant decoration of the autumn garden. They look amazing against the background, in rock gardens, framed by flower beds and garden paths. The main condition for achieving the decorative effect of these plants is their mass production. Therefore, it is better to plant them in large clumps, which will create magical spots of color and will be clearly visible.

Briefly about the features of cultivation

Place and soil. The agricultural technology for growing crocuses and colchicums is similar and does not present any difficulties. If you do not yet have these plants, purchase corms in September - October and plant them in prepared, well-dug areas, guided by general principles planting bulbous crops. It is better if it is light loam, rich in humus, well drained.

Plant the corms in places protected from the wind in the sun or partial shade. Sharoyan crocus and valley crocus grow best in the shade. Best time for planting crocuses - September, colchicums - October.

Landing. The planting depth depends on the size of the corm and, as for other bulbous plants, is about 2–3 times its diameter, usually 5–10 cm for crocuses and 10–15 cm for colchicums. The distance between the corms of crocuses is about 5 cm, and that of colchicums is 20–25 cm.

Plants bloom in the first year of planting. Colchicums usually begin flowering 2-3 weeks after planting, and crocuses after a month. Flowering dates depend on the variety and should be indicated on the packaging.

Colchicums usually begin flowering 2-3 weeks after planting, and crocuses after a month.

Care. When growing, make sure that the areas are not overgrown with weeds; in the spring it is advisable to apply complex mineral fertilizers.

Colchicum produces large leaves in the spring, which begin to die after the growing season, disrupting the decorative appearance of the area. Therefore, it is advisable to take care of partner plants in advance and plant, for example, petunias to cover unattractive foliage. Subsequently, it can simply be cut off.

Reproduction. Autumn ephemeroids reproduce well from daughter corms. So, in one year, the autumn crocus corm produces from 3 to 6 children.

Annual digging, as with ordinary spring-flowering ones, is not necessary. For example, crocuses can be dug up after 3-4 years, when the nests are full. Colchicums can go even longer without digging - up to 7 years.

Digging is done after the leaves dry, usually in June. The corms are dried, sorted, and damaged and diseased ones are discarded. Store in a well-ventilated area until planting.

Don't forget about safety precautions when working with crocus! Use gloves.

Wintering. Crocuses and colchicums are unpretentious, do not require watering, and winter well without shelter.

Against the backdrop of the sad decline of nature, autumn ephemeroids can, albeit for a short time, give a miracle, bringing back memories of spring. And if there is such an opportunity, why not take advantage of it, because nature itself gives us plants with wonderful qualities. Add to your autumn garden spring mood so that the flowering does not leave it for as long as possible.

Having seen once the bright and delicate flowers crocuses on fallen leaves, you will definitely want to decorate your garden plot with them. Autumn crocuses open their buds at the end of the garden season and are brothers spring flowers. These plants are perennial crops that are easy to care for, quickly take root in a new place, and also go well with other plants in the flower garden. But at the same time, there are certain rules for caring and planting crocuses.

Autumn crocuses - description of culture

• Crocuses are often called saffron by gardeners. These delicate buds bloom not only in early spring. Many groups of crocuses bloom almost at the very end of the season, after the leaves have fallen. This culture does not bloom for as long as its spring variety.
• The autumn type of crocuses can be grown not only in garden plots, but also in pots, and also as indoor plant. In the last two planting options, the flowering period is artificially shifted and it depends on the time of planting the bulbs in the ground, and not on the natural ripening phase.


• Crocus for autumn planting belongs to the perennial herbaceous crops of the iris family. It can bloom for 3-4 years in a row in one place and over time form a whole family of crocuses. It is resistant to weather changes and blooms from September to November, depending on the variety. Many autumn crocuses grow even at temperatures of 4-8 degrees above zero. The flowering period can range from 10 to 20 days.

• The flower tubers are a bulb up to 3 cm in diameter, covered with dry scales. The autumn crocus bud is a wide or, conversely, narrow glass. Flowers of some types of crops can reach a height of up to 11 cm.
• Each bud is located on a separate stem, which in crocus is very fragile. The leaves have an oblong shape and are located on the stem at its base, mainly closer to the root area. Depending on the variety, from 2 to 7 flowers can grow from one bulb.
• After the pollination period, the bud of the autumn crocus begins to dry out and is rebuilt for dormancy. Some varieties of the crop form fruit immediately after flowering - in the fall, but only produce leaves in the spring. Other types of crocuses develop a fruit pod only in spring period. These features should be taken into account when planting certain varieties of autumn crocuses.


• The fruits of the autumn crocus look like a box with 3 nests, which contains round seeds. There are about 300 varieties of crocus, each of which differs not only in the color of the petals, but also in the shape of the bud and the characteristics of its cultivation.
• Not experienced gardeners Crocuses are often confused with autumn crocus, which in turn belong to the lily family. Distinguish such garden culture can be determined by the color of the petals on the bud and the greater number of stamens in it. Also, plant bulbs have different size. So in the autumn crocus it is no more than 3 cm in diameter, and the colchicum has a bulb of much larger volume.
• In addition, the colchicum refers to poisonous varieties, which are often mistaken for autumn crocuses. Therefore, it is best to purchase crocuses for autumn planting from trusted sellers or specialized nurseries.

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Such a herbaceous plant is a perennial, and it is also an ephemeral. It has a large number of short shoots, on which large lanceolate-elongated leaf plates are located. They grow and develop during the spring, and by the beginning of the summer period they completely die off. On the surface of the corms there is a brown shell. This shell forms a long tube that covers the lower part of the flower. Most species of colchicum bloom in spring. However, in some species flowering occurs in the spring. Single funnel-shaped flowers grow from the soil. The length of such a flower, together with the perianth fused into a tube (most of it is located under the surface of the soil), is 20 centimeters. The fruit is a three-locular oval spherical capsule. This plant contains poison, Dioscorides himself mentioned this in his works. It should be remembered that the poison is found in any part of this plant.

The seed propagation method of colchicum takes a lot of time. The fact is that a plant grown in this way begins to bloom only 6 or 7 years later, after the bulb has grown and gained strength. However, only a few species of this plant that bloom in spring can be propagated in this way, as well as species that do not form daughter bulbs (for example, yellow colchicum). For sowing seeds, moist, loose soil saturated with nutrients is used. Mature seeds are sown almost immediately after they are collected (usually at the beginning of the summer). Immediately before sowing, they are immersed in clean water for some time. The seeds are not planted deeply. If it was not possible to sow the seeds immediately after collection, then before direct sowing they will need to be subjected to six-month stratification. To do this, they need to be placed on the refrigerator shelf. Instead of soaking, it is recommended to put the seeds in a sock or stocking, which must be secured inside the toilet flush cistern. After each wash, the seeds are washed, thereby removing inhibitors, and this contributes to a significant increase in seed germination.

Sowing of seeds should be done in open ground. Before sowing the seeds, holes are made in the bed, at the bottom of which you need to place a good drainage layer, and on top of it you need to pour a small amount of sand. The first shoots can be seen only with the onset of the next autumn period, however, sometimes seedlings appear a little later. Caring for colchicum seedlings will not be special labor. So, it is necessary to thin out the seedlings and, when necessary, water them; watering stops after the leaf blades die; also do not forget to do regular weeding. Young plants also need to be covered in the fall so that they do not freeze in winter. In order to grow such a flower from seeds, you will need experience and patience.

What time to plant

For planting colchicums, it is recommended to choose well-lit areas, however, even in slight shade they grow and develop quite well. But it should be taken into account that if such a flower is planted in a shady place under trees, then slugs may grow on it. Plants need well-drained soil, because their root system reacts negatively to stagnant water. For planting, you can choose alkaline or acidic soil, as well as not very heavy clay, which should not be oversaturated with moisture. It is recommended to place juniper or peonies next to such flowers; the fact is that their beautiful leaves will distract from the colchicum at a time when its foliage becomes yellow and inconspicuous.

Those species that bloom in autumn must be planted in mid-August. If the bulb is large enough, it can bloom in the first year.

When planting such a plant in open ground, it is necessary to maintain a distance of 10–20 centimeters between the specimens. Small bulbs should be planted to a depth of at least 8 centimeters, and large ones - no more than 20 centimeters. When planting bulbs, you need to add wood ash to the soil (1 liter of substance per 1 square meter), as well as superphosphate (1 full large spoon per 1 square meter). During planting, you need to pay special attention to the tubes on the bulb, which are formed by scales. They must definitely look out of the ground, since buds will subsequently appear from them. Such a tube should not be cut, since in this case the resulting bud will need to move apart a heavy layer of soil in order to get to its surface. Before planting, the soil must be prepared; for this, during digging, add half a bucket of sand and 1 bucket of humus per 1 square meter. Colchicums planted with bulbs begin to bloom after 1.5 months.

There is nothing difficult in caring for such a plant. Watering should be done only when the plant is blooming, and then this should be done only during periods of prolonged drought and heat. At other times, such a flower should not be watered, because natural precipitation will be enough for it. Remember to avoid over-wetting the soil.

Feeding is done 2 or 3 times per season. To do this, use complex mineral fertilizer (30 grams per 1 square meter), and prepare a weak solution (2 grams of substance per 1 liter of water). Remember that the fertilizer must contain nitrogen. In autumn, compost should be added to the soil. It is also necessary to systematically loosen the soil surface and remove weeds.

This flower can be grown in the same place for quite a long time (about 6–7 years), then it must be transplanted to a new place. However, experienced gardeners advise replanting at least once every 2 or 3 years, otherwise the bulbs will grow and become very crowded, and the flowers will become smaller.

The best time for both planting and replanting such a plant is August. At this time, the crocus is at rest. However, the bulbs must be dug up in advance, after the leaf blades turn yellow, as a rule, this time occurs in the second half of June. You need to carefully remove the soil from the bulbs, and also remove the remaining leaves. Separate the daughter bulbs from the mother bulbs, keeping in mind that the latter are not used for subsequent planting. Then the bulbs should be carefully washed in running water, after which they are placed in a solution of potassium manganese for disinfection for 30 minutes. Then the tubers need to be thoroughly dried and stored in a dry, dark place, while the air temperature should be approximately 24 degrees. With the onset of August, the separated daughter bulbs must be planted in the ground. In this case, the planting rules are exactly the same as those used for planting colchicum (described above). At the same time, do not forget to fertilize the soil first.

Snails and slugs can live on such a flower. Such pests feed on its leaves. If the soil is almost constantly waterlogged, this can cause the development of gray rot. In order to avoid the appearance of slugs, the surface of the rows must be covered with a layer of crushed shells, fine gravel or egg shells. You can also place plastic gutters around the perimeter of the site into which you need to pour water. They will become an insurmountable barrier for slugs and snails.

If the crocus is regularly watered abundantly for a long time, gray rot, which is a fungal disease, may appear on it. If the flower is not very infected, you can try to cure it. To do this, it is recommended to treat the bush with Champion, Topaz, Kuproxat or another product with a similar effect. Before treatment, those parts of the plant that are severely affected should be cut off and burned. Then you need to reconsider the watering schedule.

There are gardeners who, to maintain the attractiveness of a flower garden, cut off the wilted flowers and leaves of such a plant. However, this should not be done under any circumstances. The fact is that a ripening bulb needs all the vital forces. In this regard, it is necessary to remove from the site only those parts that have fallen off on their own.

Main types and varieties with photos

Most species of colchicum bloom in autumn. However, there are also species that bloom in early spring, but they are not so popular among gardeners.

Spring-flowering

Under natural conditions, this species prefers to grow on the edges of rocky glaciers in the Himalayas, Pamirs, Tien Shan and Tibet. It has been cultivated since 1882. The flowering of such a plant begins immediately after the snow cover melts. The flowers are three centimeters in diameter and have a rich yellow color, while their height is no more than 15 centimeters. Flat leaf blades, painted dark green, grow at the same time as the flowers.

Hungary is considered the birthplace of this flower, but it can also be found in Greece, Albania, and also in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. Flowering occurs at the end of winter or early spring. The pink-purple or white flowers have dark burgundy anthers. The upper part and edge of the leaf blades, which grow while the plant is blooming, have a thick coating of hairs on their surface. The most popular variety is Velebit Star.

This plant is considered the earliest ephemeroid. So, in some cases, its flowering begins in the last days of December and ends in April. Under natural conditions, this species can be found in Moldova, in the southwestern regions of Ukraine, in Crimea, as well as in the western regions of Turkey. Each specimen has 3 narrow, oblong, grooved leaves of a bluish color, the edge of which is ciliated, as well as from 2 to 4 pink-purple flowers.

Under natural conditions, it is most often found in subalpine and alpine zones, which are located at an altitude of at least 2 thousand meters above sea level. This species can also be found in the Tien Shan and Pamirs. There is an oblong bulb and 2–7 blunt grooved leaves, the edges of which are finely toothed or smooth. The specimen has from 1 to 4 white flowers; on the underside of the limb lobes there are violet-purple stripes. Flowering begins immediately after the snow cover melts.

Also popular among gardeners are such species as: Sovicha, water-loving and tufted.

Autumn-flowering

Prefers to grow in meadows and forest clearings. Under natural conditions, this species can be found in European countries from the Carpathians and Latvia to England and Western France. It is sometimes found at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters above sea level. The bush of such a plant reaches a height of no more than 40 centimeters. Flat, erect, oblong leaf blades grow in the spring, and by early summer they turn yellow and wither. From one bulb grows from 1 to 4 flowers, painted pale lilac or white, with a diameter of 7 centimeters. The most popular forms are:

1. Autumn white- this form can be found rarely in natural conditions. On one bulb, from mid-September, 5–7 flowers appear, the length of which is no more than 15 centimeters. Their center is yellow and the perianth is snow-white.
2. Autumn terry- the length of the purple flowers is about 12 centimeters, while their diameter is 5 centimeters. Each flower has many petals (about 35 pieces). The length of the dark green leaf blades is 25 centimeters and their width is 4 centimeters. Flowering begins later than other species, namely in the last days of October.
3. Autumn white terry- each double white flower has about 45 petals. The plant blooms from mid-September.
4. Autumn neddist- this form was developed in the Czech Republic. The flowers are colored light pink.

There are also forms in which the flowers are dark purple or purple. The flowers of the Baconsfield variety have a white center and a purple-pink color.

The homeland of this species is Türkiye, Transcaucasia and the northern part of Iran. The height of the bush is about half a meter. The length of the rich green leaf blades is about 30 centimeters and their width is 6 centimeters. The leaves have a wavy edge. They die off by the beginning of summer. Large flowers They are colored lilac or mauve and have a long white tube. Flowering begins in September. This species has many garden forms, for example: dark red, Turkish, white, giant, etc. The most popular varieties are:

1. Huxley- pinkish-lilac flowers gradually change their color to rich purple.
2. Waterlily- double flowers of lilac color.
3. Premier- This variety is late flowering. Its flowers are very bright and have a lilac-pink color.

In addition to these autumn-flowering species, they also grow such as: Fomina, Stevina, Trudi, Sibtropa, Jerusalem, shady, bright, Pannonian, Neapolitan, Cochi, Cilician, Byzantine, variegated, Bornmüller, dark purple, etc.

Among the hybrid forms, the most popular are: Autumn Herald, Princess Astrid, Dick Trotter, Violet Queen.

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Differences between colchicum and crocus

A person who does not understand gardening will not be able to immediately distinguish between a crocus and a colchicum. But, there are several characteristic features that will help distinguish these two plants:

• leaves. Colchicum has wider, glossier leaves, while crocus has narrow leaves and a white stripe down the center;
• flowers. Most of the colchicum flowers are colored pink. As for the crocus, its flowers are much smaller in size, and color shades blue-violet color predominates;
• stamens. Colchicum has six stamens, while crocus has only three;
• corm size. Colchicum has smaller corms compared to crocus.

Those who think that the crocus and the crocus are one and the same are very much mistaken, since the crocus is poisonous plant. As for crocus, it is an absolutely safe plant for both animals and humans. Moreover, crocus flowers are even used in modern cooking. And experienced gardeners can help with the question of when to plant colchicum.

Features of crocuses

Continuing to further understand the differences between autumn crocus and colchicum, you should study everything characteristics first plant. When discussing this plant, special attention should be paid to the following points:

1. Feeding.
2. Landing.
3. Watering.
4. The soil.

Feeding. The ideal fertilizing option for crocus is mineral fertilizers. This fertilizer can be used even earlier in the spring, or rather, water the plant with it, even if there is still snow on the ground. It is advisable to additionally mulch the soil in which the crocus grows, using peat chips or ordinary fallen leaves. This is necessary for the plant to survive severe frosts during winter. If the crocus bulb did not survive the frost and died, there is no need to throw it away immediately, since the buds that surround it may well give birth to offspring.

Watch a video about what crocuses look like.

Landing. Often, the depth of planting of a crocus is determined depending on the size of its bulb. If the bulb is large, then it needs to be buried 10 centimeters into the ground; if it is medium in size, then 5 centimeters is enough. The gap between the bulbs should be at least ten centimeters. When planting this plant, keep in mind that planting too deeply can significantly slow down vegetative propagation.

Watering. Housewives who grow crocuses must constantly ensure that the soil is always properly moistened. And as soon as sprouts begin to appear from the corms, they need to be systematically watered. But, after a while, you need to water only as needed. Try to let the soil dry out between waterings.

The soil. For a plant to develop well, it needs to grow in fertile soil. If you initially plant your crocus in good soil, then during its flowering, you will not need to use additional fertilizers to stimulate growth. And also we should not forget that many people really like the way the colchicum blooms.

Crocus is also popularly called saffron. It has long been known that saffron is one of the excellent spices for cooking very delicious dishes. But such a spice cannot be collected from ordinary flowers that grow in our flower beds. For culinary purposes, you need to grow a special seed crocus.

Most crocuses bloom in autumn. Autumn varieties Crocuses begin to bloom only in leaf fall. Of course, they cannot please you with their flowering for too long, but even in this short period, these flowers will give you a small piece of summer and warmth. Most often they are used for the following purposes:

• to elegantly decorate the lawn;
• as an interesting accent in small groups of different colors;
• to highlight the color scheme along the edges of flower beds;
• for decorating water bodies.

Read about which flower to choose at home.
And also about caring for cyclamen after flowering.

The uniqueness of this plant also lies in the fact that it can also be grown as a indoor culture. But, you should take into account the fact that as a houseplant, the flowering period will shift. By the way, the flowering period depends on the time of planting the bulb, and not on the natural life cycle.

Description of the colchicum

When choosing an area for planting colchicum, it is best to give preference to a sunny area. This plant will do well in absolutely any soil:

• alkaline;
• sour;
• neutral;
• in clay.

When planting, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Before planting, it is appropriate to first dig up the area and add a little humus there.
2. When planting a plant, it is advisable to fill the soil generously with superphosphate.
3. The distance between the bulbs should be at least 15 centimeters.

When you are looking for an answer to the question whether crocus and crocus are the same thing or not, then first of all you will find information that crocus is a poisonous plant. But don’t think that this is a reason to refuse to plant these extremely beautiful flowers. To protect yourself and your loved ones, just make sure that the flowerbed is not accessible to children and animals. And also when working with such a plant, be sure to wear special gloves. By following these tips for growing colchicums in your flowerbed, you will only get pleasure and can be absolutely calm.

If you don’t know whether it’s better to choose an autumn crocus or a colchicum for your garden, then you can easily choose two options at once. Because their combination has a special charm and sophistication. To understand why Colchicum is poisonous, you can search for such information on the Internet.

Which flower do you like better - crocus or colchicum? Leave your opinion in the comments, and also watch a video about what the colchicum looks like.

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Olga Antonenko 03/12/2014 | 2260

Not everyone knows about the existence of autumn-blooming crocuses. Sometimes they are mistaken for colchicums. But this is absolutely false.

Somehow it happened that flower growers grow only the “little white” and “little blue” crocuses, and are not even aware of the variety of varieties and species of this plant. And many people don’t even know that, in addition to spring-blooming ones, there are also autumn-blooming ones. They believe that all of these are colchicums. But this is absolutely not true. I myself had the opportunity to become acquainted with autumn-blooming crocuses several years ago.

They bloom almost before the snow covers the ground. True, in cloudy weather the flowers may not open. But the unopened buds and the delicate dark green leaves with a white stripe in the middle are amazingly beautiful! And if on a cloudy autumn day it turns out to be sunny for an hour or two, the baby crocuses will definitely show bright orange branched stigmas peeking out from the corolla. By the way, the leaves begin to develop after the flower bud itself is ready to open, and continue to grow during and after flowering. When the growing season ends, the leaves fade and one to three young replacement bulbs form in the ground.

Autumn-blooming crocuses need to be in time plant in August. To do this, the bulb must be placed in the ground on a layer of sand, deepened to about two heights. If you don’t guess the degree of depth, it doesn’t matter: the bulb itself will either “pull” itself to the required depth, or “push” itself closer to the surface. Crocuses not capricious, they will grow everywhere - in the sun, in the shade, on a hillock, in a lowland, as long as there is no stagnation of water. TO soils crocuses are undemanding. Manure is not tolerated in any form. Complex fertilizers are approved. Water You can do this infrequently, but you should loosen the soil and remove weeds regularly. Transplant preferably once every 4-5 years. If you are late with replanting, the flowers will be crushed, and numerous bulbs will protrude from the ground.

If absolutely necessary, you can replant autumn crocuses during flowering, if you move the plant quickly and with a clod of earth. But keep in mind: the transplanted specimen will fade very quickly, the leaves will die off after the flower, and the bulb will be weakened. It will not bloom for a year, or even two.

Among the autumn-blooming crocuses, the following types are the most interesting: beautiful crocus And nice crocus .

Crocuses can be used for forcing at home. But very often it happened to me that the bulb woke up, the bud “went” and suddenly dried up. Was it because of the hot and dry air in my home, or did I take the wrong varieties?!

In their natural habitat, crocuses are unpretentious and are almost not affected by diseases. Their only serious enemy is mice, which love to feast on onions.

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In what places does it prefer to grow?

In nature different kinds Colchicum (colchicum) are common in Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and Central Asia. In Russia, they can be found in the Caucasus, Krasnodar Territory, cultivated species - in regions with a temperate climate.

Colchicum loves sunny places or light partial shade. The culture does not tolerate swampy and damp soils. Colchicum does not have any special requirements for soil composition. But if it is loose, light, mixed with compost and humus, then the flowers on the plant will grow larger.

When to plant colchicum

Autumn tuber is planted in open ground, starting from the second half of August. During this period, the tuber is in the dormant stage.

It is important to monitor the bulbs prepared for planting. If sprouts appear, this serves as a signal to start planting. The sprouts should not be long; there is a high probability of damaging them when planting.

Landing rules

Despite the unpretentiousness of the perennial, you need to know the minimum prerequisites planting autumn trees in open ground:

• Prepare the soil for planting in advance - add 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 liter of ash per 1 sq. m of landing area. First, the soil is dug up with the addition of a bucket of humus and 5 liters of sand per 1 square meter. m. Fertilizers allow the formation of powerful leaves, which then feed the tubers.
• The depth of the hole for the tuber depends on its size and soil composition. On light soils, the planting depth is slightly greater than on heavy soils. Small bulbs are planted to a depth of 6-8 cm, large ones are planted deeper (12-15 cm). When determining the depth of the hole, you can focus on the diameter of the tuber and make a hole 3 times the diameter of a particular tuber.
• 2-3 handfuls of river sand are poured into the bottom of each planting hole. Place the corm in the hole with the tube facing up. The tube formed by the scales should stick out from the ground. Care must be taken to ensure that it is not bent or damaged. It cannot be cut.
• The soil is moistened and mulched.
• In 4-6 weeks, the colchicum will bloom.

Reproduction methods

Colchicum can be propagated by offspring located around an adult bulb or by seeds.

Reproduction by daughter corms

This is the most effective and easiest way to propagate this plant.

• Planting material harvested when the colchicum seeds are ripe and the leaves have withered and died, around mid-July.
• You need to dig up the tubers carefully, trying not to damage them.
• The corms are cleared of soil and leaves, and the “babies” are separated.
• The scales covering the corms do not need to be removed.
• Then, the separated bulbs are kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried in a dry, semi-dark place at +24C.
• The tubers are directly planted in the ground in August.

It is important to replant the autumn tree every 3-5 years. If this is not done, then many “babies” will form around one corm, and flowering may stop.

Can be propagated using seeds not just any colchicum. Wild species, spring-flowering ones, or species that do not form daughter tubers are propagated in this way.

This method of propagation is rarely used by gardeners. Seedlings grown from seeds bloom only after 5-7 years, since the tubers need a lot of time to gain strength for flowering.

However, the technology for sowing colchicum seeds in open ground is as follows:

• The seeds are ready for planting immediately after collection.
• Before sowing, seeds are soaked for several hours in warm water, then washed. After washing, the seeds germinate better.
• It is necessary to make drainage in the furrows for sowing, pour a layer of pebbles sprinkled with sand.
• It is necessary to sow the seeds to a depth of 1-3 cm. They will germinate only next spring, and sometimes later.
• Caring for crops involves weeding and moistening the soil.
• Moisten the soil with the crops until the leaves die.
• 2.5 months after germination, the plant will form a small corm.
• For the winter, young plantings need to be covered.

Caring for colchicum after planting

Caring for Colchicum is easy. Many standard techniques This flower does not need perennial care.

Autumn people are afraid only of snowless winters with severe frosts. Snow-white and double forms are more sensitive to frost than all other representatives of the crocus. Therefore, sometimes it is better to plant tubers at a greater depth (up to 40 cm), and mulch the plantings with peat for the winter.

Watering

Colchicum can easily do without watering; excessive moisture is contraindicated, as it leads to rotting of the bulbs. When caring for crocus, this circumstance cannot be overlooked.

In spring, there is enough moisture in the soil after the snow melts. By mid-summer, the development of colchicum ends - the perennial enters a dormant stage. He no longer needs moisture at this time.

Watering may only be necessary during flowering, and then only if there is little moisture in the ground. In this case, water the flowers once a week, trying not to get water on the flower petals.

Top dressing

Fertilizing is necessary before planting the plant in open ground. In spring, flowers are fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. This helps to form powerful leaves that will allow the tuber to accumulate strength for full flowering.

After flowering, colchicums are fed with universal and organic fertilizers.

Pests and diseases

Pests

Snails and slugs are the most dangerous enemies Colchicum By eating the green mass of the plant, they weaken it and spoil its appearance.

Fighting methods. To combat snails and slugs, you can set traps or use molluscicides.

You can protect the plant from shellfish by filling the space between the plants with crushed eggshells or pine needles. The uneven, rough surface prevents the movement of mollusks.

Diseases

Gray rot - a fungal disease.

Causes. Gray rot appears when the soil is waterlogged.

Methods of struggle. In case of mild damage, the plant should be treated with the following preparations: Topaz, Kuproxat.

Important! Heavily affected parts of the colchicum need to be removed, and the watering regime should be balanced.

Do I need to dig up the bulbs?

There is no need to dig up tubers every year. Tubers that have grown a sufficient number of “children” must be dug up. As a rule, this happens after 3-5 years of plant growth in one place. Due to crowding, the flowers become smaller, or flowering stops altogether.

You need to dig up the bulbs when the leaves begin to wither. This approximately occurs in July or early August. There is no need to wait until the leaves are completely dry. Because dry leaves are easily separated from the bulb and there is a high probability of losing the bulb in the ground. The leaves serve as a kind of marker for finding bulbs.

The most famous varieties

Of the variety of colchicum species, 2 species are most often grown in our gardens: autumnal and magnificent, as well as several other attractive species:

Autumn Colchicum

Autumn colchicum comes from Europe, from wet meadows. This species is a classic of all late-flowering colchicums.

• Flowering occurs in September-October.
• Leaf length - 40 cm.
• Flowers are about 7 cm in diameter, 1-8 pieces from one bulb. The palette of autumn colchicum is represented by white and soft purple flowers.

It has several cultural forms:

• Colchicum Double Alboplenum– distinguished by white double flowers.
• Colchicum atropurpureum blooms in September with small flowers. As they grow, the color of the flowers changes from purple to dark red.
• Colchicum Nancy Lindsay has large flowers. Each petal has a white stripe on the inside.

Colchicum splendid

Colchicum splendid grows in Transcaucasia, Turkey, and northern Iran. The leaves of Colchicum splendidus grow up to 50 cm in height. But it is valued for its large flowers, blooming in 1-5 pieces. from one tuber.
Magnificent colchicum blooms in September-October. This species is actively used for breeding new varieties.

The best varieties of Colchicum splendid are:

• Premier- with long flowering until frost and with flowers of pink shades;
• Huxley— flowers and leaves are large, the color of the petals becomes more saturated from the center to the edges;
• Waterlily- double flowers of lilac color.

Colchicum Bornmueller

Colchicum Bornmüller lives in northern Turkey. The flowers are lilac with a white core, 12 cm in diameter. The base of the perianth tube is greenish-purple. From 1 to 6 buds grow from one tuber. Colchicum Bornmüller resembles a miniature lily. Blooms from late September until frost.

Colchicum Cilician

Colchicum Cilician grows in southern Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. Colchicum Cilicum leaves begin to grow towards the end of flowering. From one bulb 3-10 pink flowers with a checkerboard pattern and a honey aroma develop. Flower height 10 cm.

Colchicum Byzantine

Colchicum Byzantine - obtained from Colchicum Cilicum, with which it is very similar in appearance. But Byzantine Colchicum begins to bloom in early September, and Cilician - in October. The tubers are large in size - up to 20 lilac-pink, wide-open flowers grow from one. Does not form seeds.

Colchicum Agrippina

Colchicum Agrippina is an experienced hybrid. Notable for its bright pink flowers with a checkerboard pattern. Flowering occurs in August - September. From one tuber 1-3 flowers 5-10 cm high appear. It does not form seeds, but it reproduces well from tubers.

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Description of the plant Colchicum or Colchicum

A beautiful perennial plant from the Colchicum family. It is an ephemeroid - perennial herbaceous plants with a very short growing season. The stem is erect, bare, low, 10-30 cm long, depending on the species.

The root is an oblong-oval corm, covered with a brownish-brown leathery shell. Large bright green oblong-lanceolate leaves 25-30 cm long appear in early spring, simultaneously with the fruits. They look like lily of the valley or wild garlic leaves. During the growing season, they must feed the bulb with nutrients.

The flowers are solitary, large, bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, with pointed or rounded petals that remain half-closed or completely open, displaying brightly colored stamens. Color ranges from white to pink-lilac and purple. Colchicums bloom in late summer or autumn for about 2 weeks. Bees and flies pollinate flowers at this time. After flowering, next spring the fruit appears - a three-locular elliptical capsule. When the fruits ripen, the leaves die off (May-June).

On the territory of Russia in natural conditions distributed in the Caucasus and Krasnodar Territory; in culture - in areas with a temperate climate.

Growing colchicum: choosing a location and care rules

Autumn is surprisingly unpretentious to conditions. Prefers moist and oily soil. Without transplantation it can grow for 5-6 years. If it stops blooming, this means that too many young daughter bulbs have formed in the nest and the plant should be replanted. It is usually placed in a sunny or shaded place. An ideal place for planting is under garden trees.

In spring, colchicum leaves appear at a time when trees do not provide much shade. The sun is enough for him. And with further opening of the leaves on the trees, the foliage no longer needs a lot of light, because By this time it is already beginning to fade. The soil for planting should be light, loose, and moderately nutritious. Almost no watering is required. In the spring, when the leaves are developing, there is still enough spring moisture. In summer the plant sleeps. In autumn, in the absence of rain, water carefully, trying not to wet the flowers - once they get wet, they quickly lose their shape.

Feeding and watering colchicum

Feed in spring when leaves appear nitrogen fertilizers- this helps to form large and strong leaves, which in turn will allow the bulb to be saturated with useful substances and accumulate strength for future flowering, and in the fall after flowering - with complex fertilizer or sprinkled with organic matter, followed by loosening.

Don't water in spring. The soil is quite moist after the snow melts. By the beginning of summer, the growing season of the crocus ends - the plant falls asleep. He does not need moisture at this time. When flowering, if there has been no rain, water once a week.

Planting and caring for colchicum

In general, the flower reproduces by dividing nests or by seeds. All work should be carried out with gloves - the plant is poisonous, touching it can cause skin burns.

The most productive way is propagation by young bulbs

When to plant colchicum?

Colchicums, blooming in spring, planted in early autumn, blooming in autumn - in August in an open sunny place protected from the wind. The soil for planting is prepared in advance - 6 liters of humus and 100 grams of superphosphate per 1 sq. m are added. They are planted at a distance of 20 -30 cm from each other, after which the soil is moistened and mulched.

How to replant colchicum, look at the video:

If your autumn plant has been growing for a long time, in the middle of summer you can disturb the planting site and carefully dig up the overgrown bushes. By this time, the old bulb usually dies.

• Once the plant has completely wilted, dig the bulbs out of the ground, being careful not to cut them with a shovel.
• Dry for several weeks in a dark, dry place. Then clean them of dead leaves and roots.
• In August, separate the new corms from the main ones and soak for 5 minutes. in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water), dry slightly and plant in the ground in a previously prepared place at a distance of 20 cm from each other.
• When digging, add to the intended planting site phosphate fertilizer and humus.
• Plant, deepening down 3 bulb diameters. After filling with soil, thoroughly water the planting site and mulch thoroughly, preventing the formation of a crust on the soil. At early boarding plants from large bulbs may bloom as early as this fall.

The seed propagation method is quite labor-intensive:

• Flowers grown from seeds will bloom with proper care no earlier than after 6 years.
• Rare spring-flowering species are propagated by seeds. They are sown immediately after harvest because they quickly lose their germination capacity.
• Pre-soaking in water or epin solution is required.
• Seeds purchased in a store must be stratified (you should keep them in the refrigerator for several days, or in a damp cloth).
• The seedlings will not all appear at the same time in the spring; some will take more than one year to germinate.

Care comes down to loosening and weeding. All that remains is to take care and wait for the bulbs to grow. Flowering occurs after 6-7 years.

Pests and diseases of colchicum

All parts of the plant are poisonous, so pests avoid it. During periods of heavy, prolonged rain, it can be affected by slugs. To avoid this, sprinkle the ground around with ash and loosen it. Remove weeds promptly. When planting, avoid places with stagnant moisture.

Useful properties of colchicum

It is used successfully in the treatment of various diseases. It is strictly forbidden to treat yourself, as it is extremely poisonous. For medicines, corms are used, on the basis of which ointments, tablets, tinctures, and rubs are made. They are used in the treatment of cancer, urolithiasis, as a local anesthetic for rheumatism and gout.

Types of colchicum with photos and descriptions

Colchicum autumnale var. minus/autumnale var. minor

It grows in wet meadows and clearings in warm regions of Europe, and is most common in cultivation among amateur flower growers. A rosette of leaves appears in early spring after the snow melts, simultaneously with the fruits. Plant height is 35-40 cm. The lower internodes of the stems form a corm, covered with leathery scales, on which there is a renewal bud. The old corm, exhausted by flowering, decomposes.

As the daughter bulb grows, the leaves give it nutrition and gradually die off. Colchicum goes dormant until autumn. They wake up with the beginning of autumn, releasing pink-lilac bell-shaped flowers 7 cm in diameter, 1-4 from one bulb. After a short flowering, fruit and seeds develop underground, which will appear only next spring.
There are many decorative forms:

• variety ‘Roseum Plenum’ is distinguished by double flowers;
• snowy-whitish with a cluster of large flowers;
• double form very late blooming with purple flowers 5 cm in diameter and huge
  number of petals, flowering can continue after snow falls;
• white densely double form, the flowers of which are similar to dahlia inflorescences;
• atropurpureum with purple or dark red flowers;

Colchicum Bornmuelleri Colchicum bornmuelleri

The homeland of this species is the mountains of Asia Minor, Iran. Looks like a miniature lily. The leaves are about 35 cm long. It blooms in autumn with lavender flowers with a light inner spot. Blooms from late September until frost. Loves well-lit places.

Colchicum Byzantine Colchicum buzantinum/autumnale var.majus/autumnale var.major

Grows in warm temperate zones of the Mediterranean and southern Europe. The flowers are lilac-pink, wide oval, slightly larger than those of the autumn one. A very large corm, 7 cm in diameter, of irregular shape, forms a bouquet of 10-12 buds. Leaves are folded-lanceolate, up to 30 cm long. Flowering from August until frost.

Colchicum splendid Colchicum speciosum

The most beloved of all. In spring it produces leaves up to 50 cm high. It blooms in autumn and is the ancestor of modern varieties. Flowers are single or in inflorescences of 1-3 pcs. large in size with a long white tube and a cold lilac color of the corolla up to 15 cm in diameter.

• Turkish form with purple goblet flowers;
• hellebore form with folded leaves and huge purple flowers;
• variety ‘Premier’ with pink flowers very late flowering;
• variety ‘Huxiey’ with large leaves and flowers that change color;
• variety ‘Waterlily’ with charming double flowers of lilac tones;
• variety ‘Atrorubens’ with lilac-watercolor petals blurred to white;

Colchicum Agrippinum Colchicum agrippinum

It has pink inflorescences with purple streaks or spots. Characterized by tall leaves with wavy edges, pink-purple flowers with a whitish tube with charming orange-red strokes at the base of each stamen, blooming in late summer. It differs from others in its unusual checkerboard spots on the petals.

Colchicum variegatum

Similar to Colchicum Agrippa. Its flowers are lilac with dark pink veins.

Colchicum cilicicum

Height is about 60 cm. At the time of flowering, one bulb produces 15-25 lilac-pink flowers with a white tubular core. It blooms in late autumn, when the first frosts begin. Distributed under natural conditions in Turkey.

Colchicum luteum

It is found on fine-earth and rocky slopes near melting glaciers, in the meadows of Kazakhstan, in the Western Tien Shan. It blooms from the moment the snow melts until the beginning of June. The corm is oblong, up to 33 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, with brown covering scales. A shortened stem with ribbon-like leaves emerging from the ground at the beginning of flowering.

Single flowers up to 10 cm high with narrow linear golden-yellow tepals fused at the bottom into a long tube violet shade. The fruit is a capsule with three nests filled with seeds. Propagated by seeds. Resistant to frost. A very rare plant - listed in the Red Book. Some species have successfully taken root in gardeners' flower beds.

Regel's or Kesselring's colchicum Colchicum regelii, Colchicum kesselringii

Homeland - foothills and mountains of Central Asia. Amazing in beauty and miniature. Up to 10 cm high with white flowers that bloom in April. Perianths with a purple stripe. Leaves appear after flowering begins. Varieties with cream flowers and a characteristic purple stripe have been bred. outside petal

Colchicum hungaricum

Found recently in the mountains of Croatia. It differs from its fellows by its expressive black stamens. Prefers placement in open sun. It is successfully bred and selected in culture in Latvia.

Colchicum triphyllum

Found in Moldova, Crimea, Bulgaria, Romania. Up to 15 cm in height. Up to 6 medium-sized pink-lilac flowers bloom from one corm. It is recommended to be placed on alpine slides.

Colchicum Sovich Colchicum szovitsii

Grows in wet alpine meadows. Blooms in spring with white and pink flowers. Unpretentious and hardy, despite its pampered appearance. Grows successfully in bright sunlight and does not require shading.

Colchicum bifolium

Unusually delicate and fragile flowers grow on the slopes of the Armenian mountains near the melting snow. Pink and purple tones of flower color predominate, the shape and color of which are highly variable. Not afraid of the first night frosts. Requires deep-cultivated, nutrient-rich, moist soil.

Colchicum is extremely popular among amateur gardeners, especially autumn views. It is pleasant in late autumn, among the withered foliage, to see a flock of delicately colored buds peeking out here and there. The plant is excellent for arrangement in clumps in tree trunk circles garden trees, for borders, in mixborders and flower beds as a foreground plant.

Looks great in isolated plantings on lawns, near the walls of courtyards and outbuildings. It combines amazingly with any other garden flowers, because it blooms at a time when only green foliage and fallen leaves remain from other perennials, reviving the fading nature with delicate lilac-lilac flowers. It looks attractive among hostas and other decorative deciduous flower crops, decorating them with colorful flowers. Even the first frosts and light snow are not scary for him.

Brave bouquets look unusual on lightly fallen snow. Anywhere in your personal plot will create a nostalgic reminder of the passing summer. Having planted this plant once, you will admire the charming creation of nature for many years.

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Description and characteristics of the plant

The homeland of Colchicum is the Mediterranean countries. In spring, it pleases the eye with green folded leaves, and we are delighted with the beauty of the flowers that bloom in the cold autumn period.

Legends, overgrown with gray hair, trail behind the autumn forest in a long train. The ancient Greeks and Romans admired and treated it. Colchicum infusions led to the success of the Argonauts' journey. Colchicine, which accumulates in flower bulbs, has been used in the treatment of gouty arthritis and pain relief for more than 200 years.

Colchicum - a crop with a shortened modified shoot. By forming corms, it accumulates nutrients for growth and development. The leaves are large, sessile, forming a rosette. They appear in early spring, and by early summer they fade and dry out. t. The hot season is a dormant period for colchicum.

It produces delicate lilac flowers in early autumn and blooms until cold November. At least three huge, bell-shaped flowers grow from one bulb.

Polyspermous fruit, capsule. The seeds ripen for the next year in summer period . Colchicum loves sunny places and moist soil, is unpretentious to weather conditions, and frost-resistant.

Distribution area

The growing area of ​​colchicum is the European part of the continent of Eurasia and temperate latitudes North America. The plant is most widespread in Western Georgia and the Western Caucasus. It is not afraid of mountainous terrain and rocky soil, but you will not see it in the Scandinavian countries. Cold latitudes have a detrimental effect on the growth and development of colchicum. Occupying the territory from the Mediterranean to Western Asia, the colchicum adorns the steppe and forest-steppe natural zones with its natural habitat.

Varieties of Colchicum

The distinctive characteristics of these species are the color scheme of the corolla, flowering time and growing area.

Funny

The most common species among all Levvremnikovs in Russia. One of the popular flowers among domestic flower growers and gardeners. Pale pink corolla with petals up to 12 cm. Blooms until severe frosts. The homeland of bright colchicum is the Caucasus and southern Russia. Rare feels great Caucasian species on the lands of Kuban and Stavropol. Colchicine accumulates in bulbs and seeds.

Autumn

Grows well in all regions of the Russian Federation. Most unpretentious appearance in your family. The bulb produces 5-7 purple flowers. Peak flowering occurs in August-September. Contains colchicine in all parts of the plant.

Planting and caring for colchicum

It is better to plant colchicum in places that are illuminated or have partial shade. Colchicum is unpretentious to the species composition of the soil. Tolerates drought or lack of watering well, but can die from excess moisture.

In order to enjoy a long-blooming species during dull times, it is necessary to plant it in August. The planting depth also depends on the diameter of the bulb. We plant the plant to a depth of no more than 15 cm with a gap of 25 cm between the bulbs. The smaller the bulb, the shallower the planting depth. The soil prepared for planting can be fertilized with humus, providing nutrition for the bulb. Replanting is recommended every 3-5 years to obtain large and beautiful flowers.

Autumn does not bring owners any problems in caring for it. It does not need abundant watering; it is content with natural precipitation. To obtain beautiful plant, you should use fertilizer containing nitrogen, remove weeds in time, occasionally loosen the soil to improve growth. The strongest enemy for Colchicum is the slug.

Plant propagation

Autumn can be propagated vegetatively by daughter bulbs or generatively by seeds.

The most effective method is vegetative, A best month for preparing the bulbs - June. The depth of the adult bulb is about 35 cm. Having taken it out, separate the young children and remove the old mother bulb (it has already fulfilled its role). It is recommended to store daughter bulbs in a dry, semi-dark room. The best period for planting is August.

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Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) is the most common plant in cultivation; in order to have a better understanding of it, you need to take a closer look at the annual cycle of its development. In early spring, the first to appear are wide, rounded leaves, crowded into a low rosette on a false stem. During this period, the height of the colchicums reaches 30-40 cm; gradually, corms covered with scales are formed from the internodes close to the base of the plant, which will serve for further growth and flowering. Old corms gradually decompose, and leaves that have served their purpose also die. Finally, in the fall, the development of colchicum begins to peak - it blooms, after which the seeds and fruit, hidden at the very base of the flower tube, begin to develop. And only the next spring fruits with seeds appear simultaneously with growing leaves. And only towards the beginning of summer the seeds ripen.

Colchicum is highly poisonous, not only the corm, but also its above-ground parts, therefore, when working with it in the garden, you need to be careful and use gloves. Ingestion of plant juice can cause serious consequences for human health, including death. Even the water in which cut flowers have stood is poisonous.

Colchicum speciosum grows wild along forest edges and subalpine meadows in Transcaucasia and Middle Asia. Its flowers are much larger than those of the autumn flower - up to 10 cm in height in the shape of a wide open glass. In nature, the color is lilac-pink with a light bottom, and garden forms come in white, purple, and lavender.
Colchicum Byzantine (Colchicum byzantinum) is similar to the magnificent one - the same large flower and large corm. Grows in mountain meadows of Western Europe and western Turkey.
Colchicum bornmuelleri - has flowers shaped like narrow glasses up to 5 cm high and with pink-lilac petals of different tones.

Description of the cheerful colchicum

Colchicum was well known to the doctors of antiquity. They called him "son before father." The plant received this nickname because the seeds ripen before the flowers appear. In ancient times, Colchicum (colchicum) was used to treat gout pain. In our country they began to breed it, as decorative culture in the 19th century. Before this, back in the 18th century, it was grown in the Apothecary Garden of St. Petersburg and used for medicinal purposes. Colchicum cheerful (also bright) is a natural variety, and not the fruit of selection, like many other types of colchicums.

Description of the cheerful colchicum: these are very delicate, one might even say fragile flowers, which are at the same time resistant to low temperatures and look like crocuses. The most suitable climate for this plant is in the European part of Russia. It grows well where there are dry summers and mild winters.

Colchicum cheerful is a low plant, its maximum height is 20 cm. The flowers are large. There are from 1 to 3 buds on one stem. Colchicum blooms mainly in autumn, but it is an ephemeroid. That is, the plant can adapt to that environment, in which it turned out to be able to bloom and bear fruit at any time of the year, when the most favorable conditions for this exist.

Today Colchicum bright (cheerful) is a rare endangered species. In the wild, it is found only in the southeast of European Russia. For this reason, the cheerful crocus is included in the Red Book.

Watch a video about decorating an autumn flower bed using colchicum.

Types of Colchicum bright (cheerful)

There are many types of bright colchicum. There are varieties that live in the wild and decorative varieties that can often be seen in garden plots.

The most common varieties of Colchicum cheerful:

1. Fabulous.
2. Motley.
3. Dark purple.
4. Colchicum Bornmüller.
5. Byzantine.

Colchicum motley. Its name speaks for itself. This flower is variegated and bright in color. Most often it is pink with purple spots arranged in a checkerboard pattern. He is very beautiful, especially if you get closer to him.

Colchicum Magnificent. It can most often be seen in gardens, as it is the most favorite variety of this plant among gardeners. The height of the flower is 50 cm. The buds themselves are large, larger than those of other varieties. The buds are white and the corolla is pale lilac.

Colchicum Byzantine. It differs in that one bulb can produce up to 12 buds per season. It blooms for a long time - from the end of August until the frosts. The petals are large. Flowers of a soft lilac hue.

Colchicum Bornmueller. The flowers of this variety resemble lilies in appearance. The petals are white, spread out and interspersed with yellow. The corollas are painted soft pink.

Colchicum Dark Purple differs from others in one unique ability. It is capable of changing the color of the petals during the entire flowering period. At first the flowers are painted in a delicate lilac color, as they bloom they become brighter.

Planting, care and propagation of Colchicum cheerful

The processes of propagation and care of Colchicum merry do not require much experience in flower breeding. This culture is quite persistent and unpretentious. It doesn't need any special soil. It can bloom for about 8 years in one place (without replanting). The total lifespan of the crop is from 30 to 40 years. In order for the cheerful colchicum to be comfortable on the site, it is enough to adhere to just two basic rules - plant it in a sunny place and in fertilized soil. This plant requires minimal attention.

Read about planting and caring for standard roses.
And also about planting cyclamen seeds.

The less often this flower is touched and the less manipulation is carried out with it, the better it will grow, and the more magnificent and beautiful the flowers will be. There is no need to fertilize it, thin out or trim leaves that have faded. It also does not need watering. These flowers should only be watered during periods of extreme heat and drought. It is frost-resistant, so it can easily withstand the winter, even without shelter, and there is certainly no need to dig it up for the winter. Unless in the spring, if the weather is very damp and in winter there was a lot of snow that began to actively melt, then you need to dig grooves so that excess water flows down them and the plant does not become waterlogged. And, of course, you need to timely weed the area where bright (cheerful) colchicum grows; removing weeds is necessary when growing almost any plant.

Colchicum cheerful is able to adapt to any conditions. He himself regulates the density of his growth. That is, if there is not enough space for it, then fewer flowers will bloom. The bulbs grow very quickly, the flowers form a real carpet.

Like other varieties and species of the Colchicum family, the cheerful Colchicum is poisonous. Therefore, when caring for it, you need to wear gloves so as not to touch it with your bare hands.

Multiply this type Colchicum can be either tubers or seeds. But the last method is more problematic. And besides, if you propagate a flower by seeds, it will lose its varietal properties.

Applications of Colchicum cheerful

Very often these flowers are used in landscape design. It fits perfectly into all kinds of compositions.

1. Plant on alpine hills.
2. Use as a splash of color around your lawn or pond.
3. Bring to the foreground in flower beds.
4. Plant along garden paths or in borders.
5. Plant in rock garden.

In addition, Colchicum cheerful has medicinal properties. Alkaloids, which are poisonous and can cause great harm to the body if handled carelessly, also have healing effect. Medicines are made from Colchicum vesica. But they can only be used under the supervision of doctors. In addition to toxic substances, Colchicum contains aromatic acids, sugars, flavonoids, and is also rich in various minerals: selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc, etc.

Preparations based on colchicum funum are used to relieve pain from inflammation of the joints, as diuretics for edema and cystitis, and also for the treatment of tumors.

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Colchicum: planting and care open ground

Growing Colchicum from Seeds

The generative (seed) method of plant propagation will take you a lot of time, since crocus grown from seeds bloom only after 6-7 years, when the bulb has gained mass and gained strength. In addition, only a few spring-flowering species of colchicum reproduce generatively, as well as those species that do not form daughter bulbs, for example, yellow colchicum. You need to sow the seeds in fertile, moist, loose soil at a shallow depth immediately after they have ripened and collected - at the beginning of summer, but you should first soak them in water for a while. If you did not have time to sow the seeds right away, you will need to stratify the seeds for about six months by placing them in the refrigerator. Instead of soaking, it is better to pour the seeds into an oversized stocking or sock and place them in the toilet tank - each flush washes the seeds, removing inhibitors, after which the seeds germinate well. Before sowing, try to arrange a drainage layer sprinkled with sand in the holes in the beds for colchicum. Seedlings appear only the following spring, but sometimes they take much longer to germinate. Caring for seedlings is very simple: thin out the seedlings, water them as needed until the foliage dies, remove weeds from the garden bed and cover young colchicums for the winter. Growing colchicum from seeds requires experience, time and patience, but those who do not try will not acquire the skill. Try your hand at following our recommendations, and remember: negative experiences are sometimes more valuable than positive ones.

Planting Colchicum

When to plant colchicum.

Colchicums love sunny areas, although they grow well in light partial shade. If you plant crocus in the deep shade of trees, it will become easy prey for slugs. Colchicums like soil that is well-drained so that the roots do not get wet from stagnant water. Colchicum grows in both acidic and alkaline soil, feels good even in clay, if it is not too heavy and not oversaturated with moisture. Peonies and junipers are preferable as neighbors for the colchicum, which will be able to distract the eye from its yellowed foliage with their bright greenery.

The planting time for autumn-blooming colchicum is mid-August, when the plant is in its dormant period. A large colchicum bulb can produce a flower in the first year.

How to plant colchicum.

Colchicum is planted in open ground at a distance of 10-20 cm between specimens, and the depth of planting of the bulbs depends on their size - from 8 cm for small bulbs to 20 cm for large ones. When planting, superphosphate is added to the soil at the rate of one tablespoon per 1 m² and liter jar wood ash for the same area. When plunging the bulb into the soil, make sure that the long tube formed by the scales peeks out of the ground: the bud will pass through it, like a tunnel. Do not cut this pipe under any circumstances, otherwise the flower will have to push a heavy layer of earth while germinating. Before planting, a bucket of humus and half a bucket of sand per 1 m² are added to the soil for digging. Colchicums from bulbs bloom in about 6 weeks.

Colchicum care

How to care for Colchicum.

Caring for colchicum flowers is absolutely not difficult: moistening the soil becomes necessary only during the flowering period, but only if it is hot and dry at that time. At any other time, there is no need to water the crocus; natural precipitation will be enough - waterlogging is strictly contraindicated for it. Colchicum is fed two to three times per season at the rate of 30 g. complex fertilizers per 1 m² in the form of solutions (2 g of the drug per liter of water). Fertilizers must contain nitrogen. In the fall, compost is added to the site. And of course, while loosening the area, remove emerging weeds. As you can see, planting and caring for colchicum will not tire you.

Colchicum transplantation.

Colchicums can grow in one place for six or seven years, after which they need to be replanted, although it is better to do this every 2-3 years, otherwise the bulbs grow greatly, they become crowded, and the colchicum flowers become smaller. When to replant colchicum? It is better to plant and replant colchicum bulbs in August, when the plant enters a dormant period, but you need to dig up the corms as soon as the colchicum leaves turn yellow - in the middle or end of June. The bulbs are carefully cleaned from the soil, freed from remnants of leaves, and daughter bulbs are separated from the mother bulbs, which are no longer suitable for germination. After washing under running water, the corms are pickled for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate, dried and stored until planting in a dark, dry room at a temperature of about 24 ºC. When August arrives, young colchicum bulbs are planted according to the scheme already described, after adding fertilizer to the soil.

Colchicum pests and diseases.

Colchicum is damaged by slugs and snails that eat the leaves of the plant. With chronic waterlogging, the plant may develop gray rot. To avoid having to fight off slugs, fill the rows with fine gravel, crushed shells or eggshells. You can place plastic gutters around the perimeter of the site and fill them with water - this will serve as a mechanical barrier for gastropods. Gray rot is a fungal disease that occurs when plants are over-watered for a long time. If the infection is not total, you can treat the crocus with Topaz, Champion, Kuproxate or another similar preparation, but severely affected parts of the plant must be cut out and watering balanced.

Types and varieties of colchicum

Not all colchicums bloom in the fall; there are species, not yet widely grown in cultivation, that bloom in early spring. We will introduce you to popular species and varieties of both autumn-flowering and spring-flowering crocus.

Spring-blooming colchicums

Colchicum luteum

is a spring-flowering species common in the edges of rocky glaciers in the Tien Shan, Himalayas, Tibet and Pamir. In culture since 1882. This colchicum blooms as soon as the snow melts, with bright yellow flowers up to three centimeters in diameter and no more than 15 cm high. Flat, dark green leaves develop simultaneously with the flowers.

Colchicum hungaricum

native to Hungary, although found in Albania, Greece and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. It blooms in late winter or early spring with white or purple-pink flowers with maroon anthers. The tops and edges of the leaves that develop during flowering are densely covered with hairs. A popular variety is Velebit Star.

Colchicum Ankara, or trifoliate, or Bieberstein

(Colchicum ancyrense = Colchicum biebersteimi = Colchicum triphyllum) is one of the earliest ephemeroids - in some cases this species blooms at the end of December and ends flowering in April. It grows in the southwestern part of Ukraine, Moldova, western Turkey, and Crimea. It has three narrow, gray, oblong leaves, grooved and ciliated at the edges, and 2-4 lilac-pink flowers.

Colchicum Regel, or Kesselring

(Colchicum regelii = Colchicum crociflorum = Colchicum kesselringii) grows mainly in the alpine and subalpine zones at an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level, as well as in the Pamirs and Tien Shan. The corm of this species is oblong, the leaves, from 2 to 7 pieces, are grooved, obtuse, with a smooth or finely toothed edge. Flowers ranging from one to four, white with purple-violet stripes on the underside of the limb lobes, bloom immediately after the snow melts.

In addition to the described spring-flowering species, of interest are Sovich's crocus, water-loving and tufted.

Autumn-blooming colchicums

Autumn colchicum (Colchicum autumnale)

grows in forest clearings and meadows of Europe from Western France and England to Latvia and the Carpathians, sometimes it is found at an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level. The autumn crocus flower reaches a height of 40 cm; its erect, oblong, flat leaves develop in the spring and die off by summer. White or light lilac flowers up to 7 cm in diameter grow in numbers from one to four from one corm. The most common forms of autumn colchicum:

• – autumn white colchicum – very rare; from one corm in the second half of September, from five to seven pieces, flowers up to 15 cm long bloom with a snow-white perianth with a yellow center;
• - double autumn crocus with lilac flowers up to 12 cm long and about 5 cm in diameter, consisting of a large number of petals - up to 35 in one flower. The leaves are dark green, up to 25 cm long and up to 4 cm wide. It blooms later than other colchicums - at the end of October;
• – Autumn white double crocus – with double white flowers with up to 45 petals. Blooms in the second half of September;
• – autumn colchicum neddyste – a variety bred in the Czech Republic with soft pink flowers.

There are also forms of autumn colchicum with purple and dark purple flowers, and the Baconsfield variety has pink-purple flowers with a white center.

Colchicum speciosum

originally from Transcaucasia, Turkey and northern Iran. It grows in height up to 50 cm. Bright green leaves with a wavy edge up to 30 cm long and 6 cm wide already die off by summer. One corm produces very large lilac-pink or lilac flowers with a long white tube that bloom in September. Colchicum splendid has many garden forms: white, dark red, giant, Turkish and others. The most popular varieties:

• – Huxley – a variety with lilac-pink flowers that gradually become bright purple;
• – Waterlilies – purple double flowers;
• – Premier is a late-blooming variety with bright pink-purple flowers.

In addition to these two most commonly grown autumn-flowering species, colchicums Fomin, Stevin, Trudi, Sibtropa, Jerusalem, shadow, bright, Pannonian, Neapolitan, Cochi, Cilician, Byzantine, variegated, Bornmüller, dark purple and others are also known in culture.

In addition to species colchicums, there are many attractive hybrid forms: Autumn Herald, Princess Astrid, Dick Trotter, Violet Queen and many other forms and varieties.

Crocus and colchicum difference

Author Larisa Novak
Sometimes in autumn, on the threshold of a long winter, at least for a little while you want to remember spring. And this is quite possible! There is an interesting group of plants called ephemeroids that bloom like spring primroses, only in autumn rather than spring. They are distinguished by the ability to suspend life processes during unfavorable periods for them, which include summer heat and drought, and resume growth in cooler seasons. Delicate flowers appear unexpectedly in early September, and in some plants even in October, and bloom until frost. How is this possible? Autumn ephemeroids have an interesting life cycle - stems, leaves and fruits appear in the spring, and by the beginning of summer the entire above-ground part of the plants dies. The plant accumulates vitality in the rhizome, tuber or bulb, and in the fall produces flowers, but without leaves. Autumn ephemeroids include many species of colchicums and some types of crocuses. They are sometimes confused due to some external similarities, but they are different plants from different families. Plants also differ in the shape and size of the corms. In crocuses they are much smaller, their shape is spherical and flattened. Colchicum corms are more similar to tulip bulbs, rather large and elongated. Crocus flowers have 3 stamens, while crocus flowers are larger and have 6 stamens.

I propose to understand the details and characteristics of autumn ephemeroids by considering the most popular types and varieties, as well as the features of their cultivation and use. Autumn crocuses
The genus Crocus belongs to the iris family (Iridaceae).
Most species of these corms belong to spring-flowering ephemeroids, but there are also many that prefer to bloom in autumn. Most often, beautiful crocus is grown in our gardens, especially its varieties with flowers of different shades; Sharoyan and valley crocus are used a little less often.
Beautiful crocus (Crocus speciosus). One of the most beautiful autumn crocuses. It is found in nature in the Crimea, the Caucasus, the Balkans, and also in Asia Minor, where it lives on the edges of mountain forests. Its spherical, slightly flattened corm has a diameter of up to 2.5 cm. In the spring, leaves up to 30 cm long appear, and by the beginning of summer they die off. This species blooms in September - October. One corm usually produces from 1 to 3 flowers, which are colored in lilac tones. They are quite large, about 7 cm long, and the total height with the tube is up to 15 cm.
Popular varieties:
● Albus - white-flowered crocus;
● Artabir - large, light lilac flowers;
● Aitchesoni - long, pale purple flowers;
● Cassiope - distinguished by bright large pink-violet flowers with a yellow center;
● Oxonian - dark purple flowers.

Crocus speciosus ConquerorCrocus speciosus Albus


Crocus Sharojanii (Crocus scharojanii). Its natural range is Ciscaucasia and Western Transcaucasia. This species is valued for the beautiful orange-yellow color of its flowers. It blooms in September - October, is very decorative, and has been used in culture for a long time.
Valley crocus, or hill crocus (Crocus vallicola). In nature, it is found in the alpine meadows of Transcaucasia and Northern Turkey. Plant height up to 12 cm, white flowers appear in September.


Crocus SharoyanCrocus

valley
Colchicums
These are also corms of perennials from the genus Colchicum (Colchicum), which belongs to the Colchicum family (Colchicaceae). The Latin name Colchicum is due to the fact that some species grow in Western Georgia, which has long been called Colchis. Although the range of crocus is much wider, they grow almost throughout Europe, North Africa, Western and Central Asia. There are more than 70 species of crocus. They prefer to live in wet meadows.



The name conveys the unique character of the plant - it blooms “without time.” Indeed, some species bloom in the spring and behave like typical ephemeroids, while others, on the contrary, bloom exclusively in the fall. There are many popular names for these plants: autumn flower, autumn color, untimely color, poisonous crocus, “son before father.”
Colchicum corms are much larger than those of crocuses, their shape is somewhat elongated, slightly elongated. Large leaves appear in early spring, dying off by early summer. The flowers are quite large, funnel-shaped, bisexual, have 6 stamens and a pistil. The perianth tube is narrow with a six-part bend, up to 20 cm high. In most species, flowering occurs in autumn. At the same time, fertilization occurs, but the seeds do not have time to ripen. The ovary hides in the ground at a depth of up to 25 cm until spring, and in the spring the plant brings it to the surface along with the leaves. The leaves turn yellow and dry out, leaving the corm in the ground, which remains in a state of relative dormancy until August.
And another very important aspect: all parts of crocus are poisonous!
They contain alkaloids, one of which, colchicine, is used in medicine as an analgesic for certain diseases. This feature must be taken into account when growing plants; under no circumstances should the juice of damaged bulbs come into contact with the skin, not to mention tasting. This is very dangerous and can lead to severe poisoning. Therefore, you need to handle colchicum carefully using gloves. Both species of colchicums and garden forms and varieties are grown. Of the Colchicum species, the most commonly grown are Colchicum splendidus and Colchicum autumnale.
Colchicum speciosum. Its habitat is the Caucasus and Asia Minor, where it is found in forests and wet meadows at an altitude of 150 to 3000 m above sea level. Stems, leaves and fruits appear in spring. The leaves are up to 30 cm long and about 6 cm wide, folded, reminiscent of wild garlic leaves. By June they die off. From 1 to 4 flowers develop from one corm. Pinkish-lilac in color, quite large, the length of the flower without a tube is up to 10 cm, they bloom in September and bloom for 3-4 weeks. From 1 to 4 flowers develop from one corm. This type of colchicum has several garden forms.
The most popular of them:
● f. alba - blooms with large white flowers in the second half of September. Flower diameter up to 12 cm, length up to 14 cm;
● f. rubrum - red, large flowers;
● f. giganteum - from one large corm weighing up to 130 g, up to 5 soft lilac flowers with a white center bloom. Blooms from the second half of September.

Colchicum speciosum album Colchicum speciosum rubrum


Colchicum autumnale. The distribution area of ​​this species is almost all of Europe; it prefers to grow in wet meadows. The corm is oblong, flat on one side and convex on the other, its length is 5-7 cm, diameter is about 3 cm. The leaves are narrower and flatter than those of the magnificent crocus, up to 30 cm long, appear in the spring, and die by June.
It blooms at the same time as the species described above, in September. The length of the flower without a tube is about 6 cm, and the total length is from 10 to 25 cm. From 1 to 4 flowers are formed from one corm.
The color of the flowers is lilac-pink.
Varietal colchicums are mostly large-flowered hybrids obtained from crossing the magnificent, autumnal, Bornmüller, Bivon and some other species.
We list only the most famous of them:
● Autumn Herald - purple flowers with a white center, blooms for a long time;
● Autumn Queen - purple flowers with a darker spot inside and a white tubular part, a very showy variety; ● Disraeli - large bright pink flowers, light center;
● Giant - tulip-shaped flower of amethyst color with a white center, blooms in September - October, peduncles up to 30 cm high;
● Kerbert - blue-violet with a white base;
● Lilac Wonder - late variety with purple flowers with a white center;
● Premier - lilac-pink flower with a white center, late;
● Rosy Dawn - red flowers with a checkerboard pattern and a white center, blooms in October;
● Violet Queen - fragrant purple flowers with a checkerboard pattern and a white base;
● Waterlily - very beautiful purple double flowers.

Colchicum autumnale Lilac WonderColchicum autumnale Giant


Application in garden design
Touching delicate flowers of crocuses and crocuses are an elegant decoration of the autumn garden. They look amazing against the background of a lawn, in rock gardens, framed by flower beds and garden paths. The main condition for achieving the decorative effect of these plants is their mass production. Therefore, it is better to plant them in large clumps, which will create magical spots of color and will be clearly visible.
Briefly about the features of cultivation
Place and soil. The agricultural technology for growing crocuses and colchicums is similar and does not present any difficulties. If you do not yet have these plants, purchase corms in September - October and plant them in prepared, well-dug areas, following the general principles of planting bulbous crops. It is better if it is light loam, rich in humus, well drained. Plant the corms in places protected from the wind in the sun or partial shade. Sharoyan crocus and valley crocus grow best in the shade. The best time to plant crocuses is September, colchicums - October.
Landing. The planting depth depends on the size of the corm and, as for other bulbous plants, is about 2-3 its diameters, usually 5-10 cm for crocuses and 10-15 cm for colchicums. The distance between the corms of crocuses is about 5 cm, and that of crocuses is 20-25 cm. Plants bloom in the first year of planting. Colchicums usually begin flowering 2-3 weeks after planting, and crocuses after a month. Flowering dates depend on the variety and should be indicated on the packaging.
Care. When growing, make sure that the areas are not overgrown with weeds; in the spring it is advisable to apply complex mineral fertilizers. Colchicum produces large leaves in the spring, which begin to die after the growing season, disrupting the decorative appearance of the area. Therefore, it is advisable to take care of partner plants in advance and plant, for example, petunias, hostas, to cover unattractive foliage. Subsequently, it can simply be cut off.
Reproduction. Autumn ephemeroids reproduce well from daughter corms. So, in one year, the autumn crocus corm produces from 3 to 6 children. Annual digging, as with ordinary spring-flowering bulbs, is not necessary. For example, crocuses can be dug up after 3-4 years, when the nests are full. Colchicums can go even longer without digging - up to 7 years. Digging is done after the leaves dry, usually in June. The corms are dried, sorted, and damaged and diseased ones are discarded. Store in a well-ventilated area until planting.
Wintering. Crocuses and colchicums are unpretentious, do not require watering, and winter well without shelter. Against the backdrop of the sad decline of nature, autumn ephemeroids can, albeit for a short time, give a miracle, bringing back memories of spring. And if there is such an opportunity, why not take advantage of it, because nature itself gives us plants with wonderful qualities. Add some spring cheer to your fall garden to keep the blooms going for as long as possible.

The onset of spring makes many people think about decorating their plots with a variety of ornamental plants. Some people prefer to sow flower beds, ridges and alpine hills every year with so-called annual flowers, while others consider themselves a master of growing perennial flowers. Be that as it may, at present few people do not know about such a plant as the autumn colchicum, the photo of which is striking in its tenderness. How to plant this perennial correctly? What conditions need to be created on the site for the flowering to be lush? You will learn about all this right now.

Description of the plant

The autumn crocus (colchicum), according to the totality of biological characteristics, belongs to the perennial. Its stem is modified into a corm, covered with dead leaf sheaths. Aboveground part the plant is represented by broadly lanceolate leaves that do not lose their brightness throughout the autumn season; it has a light pink tint with a purple coating; its peduncle is a thin tube emerging directly from the corm. This crop blooms in the fall, while the leaves grow back after the plant overwinters. During the same period, fruits begin to form: leathery, wrinkled capsules with black seeds.

In nature, autumn crocus grows in dry and open places overgrown with grass: forest clearings, meadows (including mountain ones). It is still found in an uncultivated form in the Krasnodar Territory, the Caucasus, Stavropol and Transcaucasia.

Why "colchicum"

The plant received its name for the specific alternation of leaf growth and flowering. As is known, the majority herbaceous plants first produces a rosette of leaves, and only then a peduncle. Autumn colchicum has a different structure: leaves grow at the beginning of spring, but by the beginning of autumn they die off along with the bulb formed in the previous season. And only after this a peduncle appears from the renewal corm. The seed capsule, which is located in the peduncle tube, “hides” there until next spring. With the onset of warmth, along with the leaves, it appears above the surface of the earth and ripens in the first half of summer.

Choosing a location for planting

Despite the fact that autumn crocus is a very unpretentious plants, for better development it is recommended to plant it in the sun. Since the plant wilts at the end of summer, you can plant it among other perennials that bloom in the second half of July.

Autumn colchicum (photo presented in the article) looks great as a border plant. In addition, it will decorate a flowerbed surrounded by a lawn, the banks of a small pond, as well as a rocky garden or alpine slide. In a word, this flower can be considered universal. By the way, the blooming autumn crocus acquires a special charm when planted in small vessels made of glass or ceramics. Such unique pots can be placed on terraces and balconies.

Planting autumn colchicum with bulbs and seeds

Let's look at a few known as autumn colchicum. Planting and care in open ground, as mentioned above, does not require much force. A flower can grow safely in one place for several years. This crop can be propagated in two ways: corms and seeds.

In the first case, you will need to dig the bulbs out of the soil at the moment the above-ground part completely dies, dry them and leave them to “rest” until the end of August. By the way, if you purchased an autumn colchicum bulb and planted it at the end of summer, flowering may occur within 3 years. However, this method has its drawbacks. The fact is that diseases present in the mother plant are transmitted to the daughter corms. It is better to destroy planting material from a diseased colchicum.

Propagation by autumn colchicum seeds allows you to obtain absolutely healthy plants. Seeds must be collected immediately after they ripen (from the first half of June to the end of July). They need to be sown in pre-prepared soil immediately after harvest. The seeds will germinate next spring, but flowering will occur only after 5-7 years.

Plant care: watering, fertilizing

Autumn crocus is not too difficult to care for. For active growth and lush flowering, it is enough to replant the plants to a new place every 7-10 years. Autumn crocus, which was replanted this season, cannot tolerate heavy watering. It needs enough moisture, which comes to the corms during the period of precipitation. If plants are planted too often, thinning can be done. In this case, it is recommended to add a small amount of fertile soil into the cleared spaces.

The main measures for plant care are weeding and pest control. Slugs can harm autumn colchicum; methods of combating them include collecting them in a timely manner, loosening the soil, and adding granulated superphosphate to the beds.

Precautions when planting and caring for autumn colchicum

Gardeners growing autumn colchicum should always remember that this plant contains colchicine, a potent alkaloid that can cause severe skin irritation and even burns. Contrary to popular belief, this compound is found not only in corms, but also in leaves and flowers. You can even get poisoned by water in which autumn crocus stood. When ingested, colchicine causes poisoning, the symptoms of which are a sore or burning throat, dizziness and nausea, and colic. In especially severe cases, the alkaloid causes paralysis and collapse.

To protect yourself from the toxic effects of the plant, it is important to take precautions: wear gloves when weeding, replanting and caring for plants. In addition, these measures must be applied to cut buds.

Medicinal properties of autumn crocus

Despite the content of toxic substances, many people know about medicinal properties autumn colchicum plants. Medicinal properties, oddly enough, are present in it due to the high content of colchicine. The fact is that in small quantities this compound promotes the expansion of the smallest blood vessels - capillaries. It is this property that allows the corms and seeds of the plant to be used as a medicine for gout, rheumatism and neuralgia. It is worth mentioning right away that the difference between a therapeutic and lethal dose is very small, therefore colchicine-based drugs are used under the direct supervision of specialists. In addition, colchicine is widely used in cancer therapy. This was made possible due to the property of the compound to influence the process

In conclusion, let us remind you that it is not safe to use any parts of the autumn colchicum plant to treat various diseases at home!