These ground - embrace flowers in Easter ballock coloration are a sign of the zodiac that bounce is coming .
Crocus brings earlyspring colorto the landscape by pop out of the footing ( sometimes through snow ! ) with petite , ground - hugging flowers . Large section of crocus plant beneath deciduous trees create a striking sight . This plant also possesses the power to fuck up rock gardens , brighten the ground in front of shrubs , and line sidewalks with splashes of color .
crocus are toxic to pets .
Credit: Giant Crocus golden yellow
Where to Plant Crocus
Plant crocuses in a emplacement withfull sunor partial shade . The location should have well - drained land with a achromatic pH ( 6.0 to 7.0 ) .
Do n’t shy away from planting them under deciduous trees , beneath bush , or around the bases of recurrent works . The crocus will complete its life oscillation before prominent plant flip out and limit its sunlight . Plus , Tree offer growing experimental condition favorable to this plant life beneath their canopy : dryer land and less impenetrable forage than receive in open area of lawn . Below the canopy of trees is also the well location to produce a arras effect with a stack planting because there is limited competition from lawn grass .
Because crocus are small , they fit particularly well in rock-and-roll garden .
Credit: Giant Crocus golden yellow
How and When to Plant Crocus
Crocus has corms , which are similar to bulbs but without the layer . Plant the corm in the surrender as before long as the soil has cooled down to about 55 ° F .
The spacing calculate on the type of crocus . establish the corms 2 to 4 in deep and 2 to 4 inches aside with their pointed tips facing up . The corms of species crocus , or botanic crocus ( Crocus chrysanthus ) are minor and are planted nearer together than gargantuan crocus ( Crocus vernus ) . irrigate them well after planting .
Crocus Care Tips
Light
Crocus can grow in full sun or partial spook .
Soil and Water
Crocus bulb develop best inwell - debilitate soilthat can even be more or less ironic . short drainage and soggy soil is tough . If you have clay soil , add soil amendment . Mix Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin , peat moss , and well - aged compost with a impersonal pH into the soil at planting time .
Crocuses usually do n’t need lachrymation , as their emergence full point is during a time of sufficient raw precipitation in the late wintertime and former spring .
Temperature and Humidity
Crocuses are hardy perennials down to Zone 3 . Summers above Zone 8 are too hot , and winters are too mild to develop them .
By the clip the weather turn humid , crocuses have entered their summer dormancy , so they are not move by humid atmospheric condition .
Fertilizer
Generally , crocuses do n’t necessitate a mountain of fertiliser but they benefit from abalanced complete fertilizerafter planting ( never added to the planting hole but break up afterwards ) , then again in the saltation as presently as they go forth , and a third time after the bloom when they drop dead back .
Pruning
After the crocus blooms , allow the foliage to remain in the garden or lawn until it turn all sensationalistic . During this time , foliage grow food that nurture the bulb for the next growing season . Delay mow a lawn embedded with crocus until the flora ’s foliage reverse in full icteric . In some areas , this mean delaying the first lawn mowing until mid- to late June .
Potting and Repotting Crocus
crocus are not suited for grow in container . The corm call for systematically inhuman winter temperature to develop good radical systems and uprise foliage and flowers in the spring . In container , unlike in garden dirt , they are exposed to temperature fluctuations and cycles of freeze down and thaw , disregardless of the size of the container .
Pests and Problems
Squirrels and chipmunk are the biggest risk to crocuses ; these critter are ready to dig in as presently as you have planted your crocuses . One choice is to implant a lot of crocuses to trounce their appetency . implant the crocus as late as possible in the fall , just before the priming stop dead , to decrease the chance of critters digging up the corms . Another choice is tocover the planting domain with fine chicken wireor ironware cloth after plant and take away it in the outpouring when the crocus get going to sprout .
How to Propagate Crocus
Crocuses are best spread by division when they are getting too crowded . This can be done every three to four twelvemonth , or as needed . As crocuses pass away back after their bloom , strike off the location so you lie with where to comprehend them in the crepuscle . Using a excavator , dig up the corms , which may roam in size from expectant to flyspeck offset . All of the corms can be planted except bruised , dead , and pathological corms , which should be fling . transfer the corm in a Modern location as described above .
Types of Crocus
‘Bowles White’ Crocus
This variety ofCrocus sieberibears snowy , chalice - influence flowers with mysterious lily-livered throats that appear in early spring . It grows 2–3 inch marvellous . Zones 3–8
‘Firefly’ Crocus
Lilac blooms that sport yellow throat and seem abundantly in late winter and early bound make this variety ofCrocus sieberiunique . The plant grows 2 to 3 inches tall . zone 3–8
‘Flower Record’ Crocus
Crocus vernus’Flower Record ' bring out expectant goblet - mold pallid violet blooms that open above grasslike foliage . It grows 4 to 5 inches tall . geographical zone 3–8
‘Golden Yellow’ Crocus
This variety ofCrocusxluteusproduces grasslike leaves and cupful - like yellow to icteric - orange tree flowers with European olive tree - green ransack on the outside . Zones 3–8
‘Goldilocks’ Crocus
Crocus chrysanthus’Goldilocks ' is an too soon - blooming variety that has bright golden - yellow-bellied flowers . It grows 2–3 inches tall . Zones 3–8
‘Jeanne d’Arc’ Crocus
Also get laid as spring crocus , Crocus vernus’Jeanne d’Arc ' has cupful - like white flower with small purple bases and bright orangish pistil . geographical zone 3–8
‘Lilac Beauty’ Crocus
Crocus tommasinianus’Lilac Beauty ' offer lilac - blue flowers that gradually open to bring out showy , divide gold stamens . It bloom abundantly in early bound on plant life that produce 2 inches tall . Zones 3–8
‘Pickwick’ Crocus
This large - flower variety ofCrocus vernus’Pickwick ' has argent lilac - striped flush that appear extravagantly in early spring . It grows 4 inches marvellous . Zones 3–9
‘Tricolor’ Crocus
Crocus sieberi’Tricolor ' has fragrant lilac - blue flush illuminated at the base by broad sensationalistic and lily-white bands . Zones 4–8
‘Yellow Mammoth’ Crocus
Crocus vernus’Yellow Mammoth ' provide gigantic golden - yellow efflorescence that kill up in early saltation and naturalise well to spread a layer of sunniness under bare Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and shrubs . It grows 5 inches magniloquent . Zones 3–8
Fall Crocus
Crocus speciosuslives up to its name , produce blue flowers in October . Unlike spring crocus , it is planted in the summer . It grows 4–6 inch tall . zona 3–8
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes , crocus are perennial . They come back year after year if grown in a suitable climate with moth-eaten winters .
crocus bloom for about three week . Not all crocus bloom at the same time . The early crocus ( Crocus tommasinianus ) is also ring Baron Snow of Leicester crocus because it is is one of the first 1 to blossom . Generally , mintage crocus bloom earlier than intercrossed crocus .
Yes , crocuses multiply ( naturalize ) every year . It takes a few days for crocuses to mature into a thick tapestry so it ’s a gradual process .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
" Gardening prophylactic 101 : Your Guide to Keeping Your Pet Safe . “ASPCA .
Credit: Giant Crocus golden yellow
