Crocus chrysanthus Advance

Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance' flowers very early in the season, at the end of winter, at the same time as the Siberian Squill. While its flowers are quite small, it produces several per bulb, and their beauty attracts all attention. The corolla is a tender yellow on the inside while the outside turns white with hints of purple. Easily naturalising in open ground, this small bulbous plant forms superb mass effects, in borders or in rockeries, and also allows for the creation of superb flowering lawns.

Crocus chrysanthus, also known as Golden Crocus, is a member of the botanical Iridaceae family, which includes more than 1700 species. The other most well-known genera are iris, gladiolus, crocosmia, and freesia. Native to the Balkans and Asia Minor and more broadly from Greece to Turkey, the botanical species is fairly little cultivated, to the benefit of several horticultural varieties. 'Advance' is one of them and could be considered historical since it has been on the market since 1953. It is a prolific horticultural hybrid, eventually forming large colonies in upright tufts of 10cm (4in) in height, with rapid growth and multiplication. Flowering takes place from February to March, depending on the climate. It produces a multitude of flowers in the form of a cup-shaped star with six tepals (morphologically similar petals and sepals). The outside of the corolla is white-purple, with violet forming countless fine veins on a whitish background. The inside contrasts beautifully with a tender to intense yellow, adorned with bright orange stamens. The flowers close at night and in bad weather to open wide in the sun even in partial shade. The foliage is deciduous, composed of fine linear leaves, which are simple, dark green and shiny with a central white-silver band. Crocus is classified as a bulbous plant, but its storage organ is a corm, which is an underground storage organ with the appearance of a bulb, but formed of a swollen stem surrounded by scales.

This crocus grows in most well-drained soils, in the sun, while tolerating light shade, especially in summer. Hardy down to -23°C (-9.4°F), it establishes itself permanently by densifying through the formation of new corms each year.

Crocuses are the stars of late winter, shortly after the emergence of snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), heralding the return of spring. You can plant them near hellebores, the Christmas Roses, which also enchant winter and spring with their white, green, yellow, pink, or purple flowers, depending on the varieties. This crocus is also excellent for animating a rockery in which it will gradually spread to create a sumptuous spectacle at the beginning of spring, alongside colourful dwarf conifers such as Pinus densiflora 'Jane Kluis', a pine with tousled light green branches, or Thuja occidentalis 'Fire Chief', which forms a golden yellow ball in spring, then green and finally coppery red in autumn. Easily grown in pots to enhance patios and balconies, Crocus 'Advance' can grow in a lawn to create an unforgettable scene.