What does a crocus look like and how to grow it?

Crocus Is an ornamental plant belonging to the bulbous low-growing species of perennials from the Iris family. The second name for crocus is saffron, this delicate flower blooms in early spring or closes the flower season for garden plants in late autumn. For centuries, people have used the bright yellow stigmas of the flower as a natural dye and a spicy food additive.

Crocus (saffron) Is not only a garden, but also a wild plant that can be found in meadows, steppes and forests in the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean countries, as well as in Europe. These perennial and annual flowers choose winter hardiness zones for their habitats, plants tolerate a lack of light and moisture well. The description of the plant is quite simple: outwardly, the flower looks like a glass on a stem, consisting of several oval petals.

In the wild, plants are short in size, while hybrid forms can grow to larger sizes. Each flower has yellow stigmas, so the plant got the name "saffron", which literally means "yellow" in Arabic.... It is for the yellow stigmas that crocuses are valued for the beneficial use of the plant, while gardeners love these flowers for their beauty and ease of growing.

As a rule, crocuses grow up to 10-12 cm in height, and their bulbs have a diameter of no more than 3-3.5 cm... Each onion has protective scales and is also equipped with a fibrous root system. The stalk of saffron is practically not pronounced; nature made the main emphasis of this plant on the flower and pointed foliage. The leaves of the flower are collected in a root rosette, they sprout from the onion under the cover of protective scales.

A plant grows from one onion, which blooms as a single flower, the diameter of which can be 2-5 cm, and the color is very diverse: white, lilac, variegated bicolor or with oval spots, pink, yellow, pale lilac, cream. The flower stalk is short.

Crocus varieties are subdivided according to the beginning of their flowering period. Today, breeders know more than 100 varieties of a garden plant for sowing or bulb cultivation.

These saffron varieties bloom after the snow melts in early spring, when the foliage on the trees has not yet appeared, and the garden flowers have not yet woken up after winter.

• Golden Yellow. A common species of perennial bulbous crocus, which is of selective origin. The plant is used in gardening to decorate flower beds in early spring. Saffron grows up to 8 cm, the leaves are collected in a basal rosette, the stem is underdeveloped. The leaf shape is linear, the flowers are goblet, painted in bright yellow. After the end of flowering, the plant forms a seed pod, consisting of three nests. The variety blooms early, yellow flowers appear in late February - early April (depending on the climatic conditions of the growing region). Loves drained and nutritious soil with a predominance of a sandy mixture.

• "Blue Pearl". Garden saffron with abundant and early flowering. The flowers are medium in size, have a yellow tint in the middle of the base, and the main part of the petal is colored in a light blue tone.In bright sunlight, the flower looks white. This species grows up to 9-10 cm, the onion forms up to 4 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in mid-March or early April, after the snow melts. The plant can grow well for up to 4 years without changing location and grows well at the same time. The bulbs are planted in August.

• Flower Record... Large-flowered specimen, in which the goblet flower reaches 5 cm in diameter. The oval petals have a deep purple color. A characteristic feature of the flower is its elongated - up to 4 cm - tube of dark lilac color. The pistil is well defined, it grows taller than the stamens. This variety begins to bloom in late April - early May.

• "Prince Claus"... This species is famous for its two-tone coloration. The main tone of the petals is bluish-white, it is complemented by oval-shaped spots of dark purple color. The diameter of the goblet flowers is 4-5 cm, the plant is large, can reach up to 15 cm in height. Flowering time is April.

• "Grand Mater"... A large flower with a violet-blue tint. Plant height is about 15 cm. It blooms in April, the diameter of the flower is large - up to 5 cm in diameter. The outer petals of the flower are larger in structure than the inner ones. The plant has good endurance and winter hardiness.

• "Advance"... Botanical variety with flowers up to 8-10 cm in yellow-lilac color. Flowering is single and short, is 1-2 weeks, begins in late March - early April. The plant grows up to 15 cm in height, is not afraid of frost, drought-resistant, not demanding on the presence of abundant light. In one place, this crocus can fully develop within 5, and sometimes 6 years, growing well.

• "Vanguard"... A large variety of saffron, which grows up to 15 cm, the flowers are large up to 10 cm in length, the outer petals are white, and the inner ones are pale lilac. Flowering is one-time, its duration is no more than 10 days, the buds open in March-April. This variety has a bright, pronounced aroma and rich green longitudinal foliage.

• "Tricolor". A miniature variety of hybrid saffron that grows in garden conditions. This variety grows to a height of no more than 7 cm. Flowering begins immediately after the snow cover melts. The flowers are small, bluish-purple in color, inside there is a white and orange-yellow ring. Flowering lasts no more than 14 days. This perennial grows equally well both on the sunny side and in the shade.

In addition to primroses, the varietal lines of garden saffron also include autumn-flowering varieties... Depending on the climatic conditions of the region, crocuses bloom from September to December, even though the leaves of the plants have undergone death in the summer.

Some varieties of autumn crocuses are presented below.

• Kochi. Autumn cultivar of garden crocus, blooming in late September - early October. The foliage does not grow during flowering, the flowers are large, have a bluish-purple color with dark veins. The variety tolerates winter well and grows quickly.

• "Holoflower". It blooms from September to October, the flower is goblet, medium-sized, the shades vary and can be red with a purple tint or lilac-lilac. The stigma of the flowers is fringed. The plant prefers well-moisturized soil and grows rather quickly in one place.

• "Pretty"... A beautiful blooming perennial saffron, the flowers of which have a lavender color with purple veins. The diameter of the flower is quite large and is up to 8 cm, the height of the flower is 8-10 cm. There can be many flowers on one plant, up to 7-10 pieces.Flowering, depending on the region, begins in September or October. Resistant to autumn soil frosts.

• "Cartwright". During flowering, it forms fragrant, bluish-lavender flowers. This plant requires loose, nutritious soil. This variety has a subspecies called "Albus". His flowers also form in the autumn, but are white in color.

• "Zonatus". A perennial crocus variety that blooms in September and forms pink, goblet flowers with a bright yellow core. The stamens of this variety are especially astringent and can be used as spices. The height of the flower is small, only 3-4 cm, and the diameter is much larger and when opened, it is about 6 cm. The plant is of medium size, it grows no more than 10 cm. During flowering, saffron emits a pleasant aroma. The root rosette of leaves has a dark emerald color.

• "Beautiful"... This variety has a peculiarity - it begins to bloom earlier than all other autumn-flowering counterparts. The plant produces flowers of white, blue, lilac or lavender shades. The plant is large, up to 20 cm, and grows rather quickly, occupying a large space. Flowering begins in September and lasts 2 weeks. This variety looks spectacular against the background of conifers or decorative foliage of shrubs.

• "Sowing"... It occupies a special place among all other crocuses, as it is a valuable raw material from the point of view of medicine and cooking, and is also used as a dye. This type of saffron is grown not only in the garden, but also on an industrial scale. The stigma of the flower is rich in coloring pigments and essential oils. The flower contains the coloring component crocin, which dissolves perfectly in an aqueous medium and is used for dyeing textiles and food products, in addition, this saffron is used as a spice in the preparation of meat or fish dishes and rice.

Before planting saffron bulbs or replanting overgrown plants, you must prepare the ground for them. A nutritious and light soil substrate is preferable for the plant, which will pass water well and be loose due to the content of sand and compost (or humus) in it. Crocuses do not like swampy lowlands or acidified soil compounds, and fresh, unripe manure is also harmful to them.

Plants that bloom in the spring can be planted in the ground in the fall, already in September. Those varieties that bloom in late autumn are planted in the soil no earlier than July. The depth of the planting hole directly depends on the size of the onion... Small bulbs are placed in holes at a depth of 2 or 3 cm, medium ones can be planted 5-6 cm deep, and very large bulbs are planted at a depth of 8 or 10 cm.In the process of planting, the distance between the bulbs must be 5 or 10 cm.

Garden space can be found everywhere to accommodate crocuses. - this is a rocky rockery, a newfangled rock garden, a curb or a rabatka, a tree trunk circle, a space between shrubs. Crocuses can be placed in hanging pots or floor planters. Since these plants bloom first, they will not be disturbed by other plants, or by the foliage of trees or shrubs.After completing their flowering cycle, the bulbs will retain their strength until next year in a dormant mode, so they will not need the light of the sun at the moment when other garden plants gain strength.

Before starting planting work, you must complete crocus bulb processing... Preparation consists in disinfecting the onions in a solution of fungicidal preparations ("Skor", "Fundazol", "Vitaros", etc.) or ordinary potassium permanganate. After disinfection, it is good to soak the bulbs in a growth stimulator - "Epine". Such preliminary preparation of planting material will protect plants from diseases and viruses.

The bulk of fungicides is prepared by dissolving 2 ml of the drug in 1 liter of water. This amount of funds will be enough to prepare 1 kg of crocus onions for planting. The holding time of the material in the solution is at least 30 minutes. Crocuses tend to grow quickly, so they need to be planted evenly over the entire territory allotted for this purpose.

For favorable growth and development of the plant you need potassium and phosphorus.

If you want large buds to form in crocuses, you need to feed them with phosphorus components. And in order for strong viable bulbs to form, it is necessary to introduce potassium elements.

1. Initially, saffron is fed in early spring, when the first shoots appear, while the ratio of potassium and phosphorus is taken 2: 1.
2. The second time it is necessary to fertilize during the period when the buds are formed.
3. The third time it is necessary to feed the saffron after flowering, when the flowers are completely wilted. In the second and third feeding, the ratio of potassium and phosphorus is taken 1: 1.

During the growing season you need to monitor not only good nutrition, but also the moisture of the soil substrate. An overabundance should be avoided, but drought, despite the crocuses' resistance to it, should not be constant. The soil should be moistened regularly and moderately.

After the end of the flowering period, you need to wait until the flowers and foliage are completely dry.... Only after this moment can the bulbs begin to be dug up in order to transplant or store until spring. If transplantation is not planned, then the bulbs are left to winter in the ground, while the dry leaves and peduncles are cut off from the plant. If the winter is very harsh in your region, then for a successful wintering saffron can be covered with spruce branches.

In the event that a bulb transplant is necessary, in July-August they are dug out of the ground, viable specimens are chosen, and they get rid of underdeveloped onions... Planting material must be stored in a ventilated place where the air does not warm up above 20-22 degrees Celsius.

The most common breeding method for saffron is bulb cultivation... Planting material is obtained in the middle of summer. You can do mass reproduction by dividing the onions annually, so the plants will constantly rejuvenate and form viable children.

Saffron can be grown using seeds. This breeding method is long and complex, rarely used among gardeners. After a viable seedling, grown from seeds, takes root in the soil, the crocus will have to wait for almost 5 years to bloom.

Propagation of saffron from seeds is as follows:

• the seeds are preliminarily prepared by soaking in a disinfecting solution of potassium manganese, and then in a preparation that stimulates growth;
• sowing seeds is done closer to October or in March-April;
• seeds are sown in a moistened mixture of sand and soil, while strong deepening is not required, the planting material is evenly distributed over the surface of the substrate;
• then the greenhouse is covered with glass and placed in a cold place for 3 weeks, for example, in a refrigerator;
• then the greenhouse with seeds is transferred to a room on a windowsill with good lighting;
• when the first shoots appear, the soil must be moistened with a sprayer;
• after the seedlings get stronger, they dive and plant them for growing in small flower pots.

Growing saffron does not require any special skills or tools. This exciting activity can be carried out even in an apartment. Sprouting saffron can be timed to coincide with the holiday in winter or spring. In order for the onions to sprout at the same time, before planting, they are chosen to be the same in size, then not only growth, but also flowering of the plantings will be friendly and simultaneous.

If you plant crocuses indoors, then literally in 21-28 days the plants will bloom, this will last depending on their variety, but on average it will be 10-15 days. After the end of the flowering of crocuses, watering must be continued until the foliage and flower stalks themselves completely dry up - this is necessary so that the bulbs are filled and strengthened.

Like any living garden flowers, hybrid saffron is sometimes prone to disease. You should familiarize yourself with the most common types of diseases.

• Diseases of a viral nature... It manifests itself in the fact that whitish spots are formed on the peduncles, which lead to deformation of the leaves and petals. Insects can carry viruses. To prevent the spread of the disease from becoming widespread, it is most advisable to get rid of such a plant in order to preserve the health of other specimens, while the bulbs, as a rule, remain healthy in such flowers.
• Diseases of fungal etiology. The onset of the manifestation of the fungus can serve as heat and high humidity. Mycelium spores penetrate into the bulb and infect it. The bulb becomes lethargic, wrinkled, and spots of pink or white color are visible under its scales. After defeat, the tuber will no longer be able to recover and germinate, so such material must be destroyed. After digging up, the onions of nearby growing crocuses need to be disinfected with potassium permanganate, dried and only then put away for storage.
• Chlorosis disease... It manifests itself by the fact that the foliage of the plant begins to turn yellow. The reason for this may be a lack of absorption of iron elements by the plant, damage to the bulbs, or insufficient soil drainage.

In addition to diseases, crocuses can also suffer from an invasion of garden pests. These can be not only insects, but also rodents.

• Mice, moles. These garden dwellers, digging their passages and burrows, damage the root system of crocuses. In addition, rodents love to nibble on the bulbs and often even drag their pillars to their burrow. After such an attack, the flower dies. It can only be saved if the bulb is not completely destroyed. To do this, you need to dig out the onion and sprinkle the damaged areas with ash or crushed coal. Next, the bulb is allowed to dry for several hours in the fresh air, and then it is again covered with earth. To save crocuses, you need to set traps from mice and do not leave sod within a radius of 3 m from the planting of these plants, since mice make their nests in the sod.
• Caterpillars of scoop butterflies. These insects lay their larvae in the soil. Caterpillars make holes in the bulbs for food and eat up the roots. Until the caterpillars pass into the pupation stage, they can be destroyed with insecticidal preparations.
• Ground slugs. They tend to multiply in clay soil substrates. To ward off slugs from crocuses, gardeners recommend pouring a layer of coarse river sand around the onion, through which slugs will not pass.In addition, special garden preparations are used to combat slugs.
• Defeat by aphids, thrips. During the invasion of harmful insects, the aerial part of the plant is affected. The foliage turns yellow and curls, the flowers do not develop well. To combat garden insects, plants are sprayed with solutions of insecticidal preparations.

• Decorative crocuses are one of the first to sprout after winter in a flower bed, as soon as the snow cover comes off it. They are a real decoration of the garden and are used in landscape design.

• Crocuses can be grown as curb plants and can be used to decorate rocky slopes where only viable ampelous plants can grow.

• Saffron blooms early, this feature is very much appreciated by gardeners when flowers are pleasing to the eye after a long winter.

• During the awakening of crocuses, they have no rivals in the garden - other flowers are still sleeping, therefore saffron is considered a primrose.

• Crocuses planted on the lawn decorate the garden and create a spectacular sight until new green grass begins to break through.

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