Crocus chrysanthus

Crocus chrysanthus

Common name: snow crocus, golden corcus

Family: Iridaceae

Leaf: linear, narrow and thin, emerging in late winter to early spring alongside the blooms

Flowers: up right, cup-like flowers, yellow-orange, mild honey fragrance.

Habit: perennial low bulb/corm

Height: 0.25-0.5'; Spread: 0.25-0.5'

Culture: Hardy in USDA zones 3-8. Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. thrives in sandy or gritty soils, but does not do well in heavy clay soils. Add sand into soils to improve soil drainage. Plant corms 2-3" deep and 3-4" apart in the fall. If planted in a lawn, lawn should not be mowed until leaves yellow (about 6 weeks after the bloom). Naturalizes by offsets and self-seeding, forming large drifts over time. Goes into dormancy in late spring.

Uses: early spring bloom in a landscape. Mass in lawns, understory plantings, sunny woodland areas. rock gardens, perennial gardens etc.

Origin: Balkans and Turkey