Colchicum Autumnale Major - Autumn crocus

Colchicum Autumnale Major, also known as Colchicum Byzantinum, is a vigorous perennial plant, probably of hybrid origin. It is one of the earliest autumn crocuses, blooming as early as September. Each large 'bulb' gives rise to fifteen to twenty flowers in the shape of long cups, with a soft pink-lilac colour, marked by a white centre and a few white veins. These flowers are not affected by bad weather. This highly sought-after form is capable of flowering 'above ground', without water, on a windowsill for example. Its cultivation is not difficult, but it requires well-drained soil and a sunny location.

Colchicum Autumnale Major is a geophyte plant with a corm from the Liliaceae family, and one of the 45 spontaneous species or hybrids found in this genus native to North Africa, Europe, and Western and Central Asia. It was long believed that this plant originated from southeastern Europe, but recent research concludes that Colchicum Major has a hybrid origin, probably resulting from cross-breeding between C. autumnale, our European crocus, and C. cilicicum, native to southern Turkey and Syria. In fact, this crocus is sterile. The bulb, actually a corm, is particularly large: it reaches a length of 5 to 10 cm with a diameter almost similar. At maturity, the plant reaches a height of 12 cm. Its flowering is very early. Its tulip-shaped flowers can measure up to 10 cm long and have short purple stigmas. In spring it develops large, dark green, shiny, curiously channelled, upright leaves that can reach 25 to 30 cm long. They disappear at the end of spring or early summer when the plant goes into dormancy. The crocus is classified as a nudiflorum plant, meaning that the flowers develop before the leaves.

Colchicum Autumnale Major is a somewhat nostalgic wild plant that heralds the arrival of autumn but also often celebrates the advent of a beautiful late season, as September is one of the most beautiful months of the year in the garden, in all regions. It can be used in rock gardens, in light woodlands, but also in lawns alongside crocuses and muscari, in ephemeral pots, but also in autumn bouquets. Its presumed parent, Colchicum cilicicum, widespread in Syria and southern Turkey on Mount Taurus, has bequeathed it a resistance to summer drought superior to that of our native crocus. It thrives better in montane climates with distinct winters but is not afraid of fairly dry soils in summer. It naturalises easily in rock gardens and in any well-drained soil. All parts of the crocus are toxic.