Crocus: the most beautiful varieties

The hybrid colchicum ‘Waterlily’: large double flowers reminiscent of water lilies

The colchicum ‘Waterlily’ is a small yet stunning hybrid variety, awarded in England for its qualities. While its silhouette does not exceed ten centimetres in any direction, it displays large double flowers in autumn, measuring 15 cm in diameter with numerous satin-like petals, reminiscent of water lilies.

In terms of colour, the colchicum ‘Waterlily’ offers a delightful pink-lilac with a slightly lighter centre, revealing six delicate stamens.

As with all colchicums, the foliage appears in spring before disappearing in early summer. It consists of broad, lanceolate leaves of a lovely light green.

Ideal for creating beautiful, bright bouquets, the flowers can last up to 10 days in a vase.

How to combine it in the garden?

This colchicum will thrive in a sunny position. Use it in a cool rockery (where the soil does not dry out too much in summer), with other small bulb plants, such as crocuses, hyacinths, or daffodils, which will precede its flowering, or alongside hardy geraniums.

→ Discover ideas for pairing colchicums

Colchicum autumnale ‘Waterlily’

Autumn crocus ‘Major’: a charming early variety

The colchicum autumnale ‘Major’ or Byzantine colchicum is one of the earliest flowering varieties. From September, it offers a bouquet of small cup-shaped flowers about 7 cm in size, reminiscent of tiny tulips.

They are adorned with a soft pink-lilac delicately veined with white.

The dark green foliage is broad and glossy; its sides feature surprising furrows, giving it quite an aesthetic appearance.

How to combine it in the garden?

The colchicum byzantinum has the remarkable ability to grow out of soil, needing neither earth nor water. Simply place it in a saucer on a sunny, bright windowsill to see it flourish in autumn.

In a flowering pot within a lovely planter or trough, it can be accompanied by other autumn bulbous plants such as the saffron crocus, nerines, or the delicate Naples cyclamen.

Colchicum autumnale ‘Major’ (photo David J. Stang – Wikimedia)

Colchicum speciosum ‘Atrorubens’: very bright flowers

The colchicum speciosum ‘Atrorubens’ strongly resembles the flowers of crocus. In October, it reveals large cup-shaped flowers, approximately 8 cm in size, with particularly bright colours. Its petals are adorned with shades of purple and violet, revealing a white heart from which yellow-orange stamens rise.

The plant reaches about twenty centimetres at ripeness, and each “bulb” (which is actually a corm) will produce an average of 1 to 3 flowers.

Its mountainous origins confer great hardiness and robustness. This perennial has even been awarded in England by the Royal Horticultural Society.

How to combine it in the garden?

Thanks to its colour, the colchicum speciosum ‘Atrorubens’ brings a lot of brightness, whether in a lawn or at the foot of deciduous trees. For a beautiful harmony of colours, pair it with pink Naples cyclamens, the sunny false crocus Sternbergia lutea, or even with white or pink muscaris, which will precede its flowering.

Colchicum speciosum ‘Atrorubens’

Cilician autumn crocus: an ideal variety for rock gardens

The Cilician colchicum originates from Turkey. From September to October, it produces large clumps of flowers resembling crocuses, reaching 15 cm in diameter. These cup-shaped flowers are a lovely pink-mauve, highlighted by delicate golden stamens.

How to combine it in the garden?

Cilician colchicum prefers sunny but not drying locations and well-drained soils, even calcareous ones. A cool rockery will be perfect to showcase it, alongside pink ash geraniums, for a beautiful harmony of colours.

Due to its origins, it will also thrive in partially shaded edges, dressing the base of trees such as Scots pines or oaks, accompanied for example by the lovely graphic foliage of ophiopogons, reminiscent of grasses.

Colchicum cilicicum (photo Averater – Wikimedia)

Autumn crocus ‘Alboplenum’: beautiful naked stars

The colchicum autumnale ‘Alboplenum’ is a small variety barely exceeding ten centimetres. It is distinguished by its immaculate pure white colour and by numerous petals that open like a star. This colchicum adds a truly delicate and refined touch to the garden.

The flowers appear in autumn, between September and October. Each corm of the plant produces several flowers approximately 5 cm in diameter.

How to combine it in the garden?

In a white garden or a monochrome bed, the colchicum autumnale ‘Alboplenum’ will be perfect. It will pair beautifully with other white colchicums, such as the Colchicum autumnale ‘Album’ or the colchicum speciosum ‘Album’ with simple flowers. Also consider white cyclamens from Naples.

In an autumn bed playing with heights, think of other perennials with white varieties, such as cimicifugas, Japanese anemones, floriferous asters, or even persicarias.

Colchicum autumnale ‘Alboplenum’

Colchicum macrophyllum: a more obscure variety that is full of charm

The colchicum macrophyllum is a rare variety, yet full of qualities. It grows to a height of 5 to 15 cm and puts on its display in the garden between September and November.

During this time, the plant unveils charming flowers measuring 5 to 10 cm, white with pink veining. From the centre, a few white stamens with brown-yellow anthers (the terminal part) rise.

Also known as large-leaved colchicum, this variety indeed adorns itself with glossy foliage from spring until July, which can reach up to 40 cm long and is quite decorative.

How to combine it in the garden?

In a sunny border, plant the colchicum macrophyllum alongside decorative evergreen foliage such as that of ivy or ornamental grasses to add height.

For flowers, dahlias, asters, and echinaceas will be good companions for our colchicum.

Colchicum macrophyllum