Fall-blooming Crocus (and a Bit About Colchicum)

Crocus pulchellus, the hairy crocus, is a fall blooming crocus.

Plant fall-blooming crocuses for delightful drifts of color when little else is blooming. The fall-blooming crocuses belong to the iris family and are not to be confused with autumn crocus, a misleading common name often used for Colchicum, an unrelated plant that is a member of the lily family. Depending on variety, these plants will bloom for weeks from September into November, and even into December in milder climates. After blooming, allow the plants to die back naturally so they will replenish the bulbs for next year's blooms. Grassy leaves will appear in early spring, and then the plant will go dormant for summer.

Crocus pulchellus, also called hairy crocus, is a relative of the more common Crocus speciosus, another fall bloomer, but it has paler blooms and shorter, sturdier stems than its cousin. "Pulchellus" is latin for "pretty," and it is one of the loveliest fall-blooming crocuses. Its luminous goblets are pale lilac with deeper veins, accented by yellow throats and orange anthers.

Crocus pulchellus grows four to six inches tall. Plant the corms in late summer to early fall in hardiness zones 5-9. They do best in well-drained soil in a sunny location, though they will tolerate partial shade. Plant them 3 inches deep and about 3-6 inches apart.

Fall-blooming crocuses may flop, especially after a hard rain, so plant them in low ground cover or a good layer of mulch to help them stand upright. Locate them in rock gardens or in front of shrubs or around trees. They are beautiful when naturalized in lawns. They produce bulblets all around the parent corm and may spread fairly rapidly. They also do well in containers.

Bees and pollinators are attracted to fall-blooming crocuses. These are beautiful, low-maintenance plants with few pests, except, unfortunately, for mice, squirrels and voles. If these are a problem, you can bury them in wire cages. 

I planted ten Crocus pulchellus about a month ago, along with a giant colchicum. I found theses at Myers Plants and Pottery in Pelham, Alabama. The colchicum came up and bloomed within a couple of weeks, but the crocuses just began to bloom yesterday. I will definitely be planting more of both. It is easy to see how fall-blooming crocus and colchicum are confused, because some of them look a lot alike. Don't worry if you get them mixed up. They have similar requirements, and they look good together. Both have selections in shades of blue, violet, pink, and white. A variety of these little beauties will perk up the fall garden just as other plants prepare for winter sleep.

To compare, see photos of my colchicum in my previous post: Hanging in There, not Dead Yet!

The Golden Glow of Early Fall

Fall has come, at last! Temps have dropped about thirty degrees, and some life-sustaining rain is making me and my plants happy. Overnight, plants perked up, and a few leaves are beginning to show fall colors. Last week I watched as autumn's mellow sunshine filtered through the woodlands, layering buttery tints amidst the leaves. I inhaled lungfuls of cool air, so refreshing after September's long breath of hell. 

Here are some of my trees. Early fall is still green, but these trees know summer is over!

Fallen leaves are beginning to cover our moss paths. We go from watering daily to daily raking!

The heart-shaped leaves of this Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis) are just beginning to reveal their golden autumn colors:

Foliage generally appears brighter and healthier since the arrival of cooler weather:Clockwise from top left: Deodar cedar 'Feelin' Blue'; Eastern Dogwood (Cornus Florida); Coniogramme emeiensis 'Golden Zebra' fern; Edgeworthia chrysantha, commonly called paperbush; Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora); Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior).

Here is one leafy view from my patio. The weeping tree on the left is a dwarf lace-leaf Japanese maple:

This old cast iron birdbath is a favorite with owls and other large birds:

Here are a few more garden ornaments, which don't depend on the weather to look good!

That leads me to something new! There is an area (approximately 10' x 10') in the woodland garden in which even weeds refuse to grow. I once attempted to put my shovel into the soil there and it bounced back with a loud clunk. A pick-ax did no better. Dynamite was the next step, but I decided to cover it with pine straw instead. Later I added a small potted Japanese maple. That was an improvement, but the space needed more. I recently put in a couple of colorful pots. I may or may not plant something in them. So here is my new woodland "pot garden". The gazing ball is located in an adjacent space that is covered with vinca minor and has no problem growing weeds: