Tip #9: Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale)
Autumn crocus produces a magical fall performance by pushing goblet-shaped lavender, pink, or white flowers straight out of the bare earth long after its spring foliage has died back and vanished. Often called “naked ladies,” these cold hardy flowers grow 6 to 10 inches tall in USDA Zones 4 through 8. The thick-textured petals resist frost effortlessly, popping up in late September or October and lasting through multiple early freezes.
Plant the large corms in late summer, burying them four to six inches deep in full sun or light dappled shade with well-drained soil. Because the foliage grows in spring and dies back by June, interplant autumn crocus among low-growing groundcovers like creeping thyme or periwinkle; the groundcover supports the slender floral stems and prevents mud from splashing on the pristine petals during autumn rains. Colchicum contains natural plant compounds that render it completely immune to deer, rabbits, and voles.
