Crocus plants are grown from hardy bulbs, and are beloved by many gardeners.
They flower in the late winter and early spring. This is great for helping to bring a touch of life into the garden, following the winter.
Crocus tommasinianus by Drew Avery.
They have flowers of yellow, purple or white that have upturned petals, and are instantly recognisable.
Yellow Crocus photograph by ArminVogel.
Some of the common varieties of crocus include Saffron and Spring crocus.
Crocus sativus by Maurizio Zanetti.
The petals of the saffron crocus are beloved in culinary circles. Where they are used to enrich foods as diverse as rice and bread.
Saffron picture by Delphine Ménard.
Crocus sativus (Saffron Crocus / Autumn crocus), photograph by Finca la Casilla; CC.
Crocus tommasinianus (Woodland Crocus / Early Crocus / Tommasini's Crocus / Tommies), photograph by Andreas Rockstein; CC.
Crocus vernus (Spring Crocus / Giant Crocus), picture by myafcatowl; CC.
It is best to grow crocus from bulbs outdoors. These should be planted at a depth of 5 to 7 cm into a rich soil (pH 6 to 8) in the autumn.
If you plan to sow crocus seeds, then you should plant them at a depth of 3 mm (1/8th inch) into a cold frame, and leave to grow for two years before moving to the final location.
It usually takes crocus plants about four years to flower when growing them from seeds.
The crocus should be transplanted into their final location at about 5 cm apart. Do this in a sunny area of the garden, which has good drainage.
Crocus plants should be fertilised in the spring. Leaves should be removed from the plant once they have fully shriveled and decayed.
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Crocus plants. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Lythrum, Veltheimia plant, Gaura plant, and Begonia plants.