Crocus gargaricus

Crocus gargaricus, sometimes called the Gargano Crocus, is a wild species rarely cultivated in gardens. It is characterised by large cup-shaped flowers with a yellow-orange colour that is among the most intense found in crocuses. They appear in late winter or early spring, before the foliage develops. This species prefers humus-rich and moist soils that do not dry out too much in summer. The bulbs should be planted in the sun or partial shade, scattered in a lawn or along a path.

Crocus gargaricus is sometimes confused with C. thirkeanus (also known as herbertii) with smaller flowers that spreads through stolons. C. gargaricus is much rarer in nature, and is only found naturally on Mount Ida in Turkey. Its habitat consists of moist pastures located between 1300 and 2000m (4265 and 6562ft) altitude. It is a fairly delicate species to cultivate outside of slightly moist mountain meadows. In cultivation, the plant blooms from February to April, depending on the climate. Each bulb produces 1 to 3 flowers measuring 4 to 7cm (2 to 3in) long that emerge from the ground. The cup-shaped flowers display a uniform yellow-orange colour, with a heart of the same shade. They close at night and in bad weather, opening in the sun and even in partial shade. The foliage is deciduous in summer and consists of 3 to 4 thin, linear, simple, and alternate dark green leaves. The 'bulbs' here are 1cm diameter corms covered by a reticulated tunic. A corm is, in plant morphology, an underground storage organ that resembles a bulb but is formed from a swollen stem surrounded by scales.

Crocus gargaricus will delight collectors of rare bulbs who can try to acclimatise it in their garden or in an alpine rockery. In this use, it can be planted with perennial alpine plants that have the same cultivation requirements: gentians, edelweiss, Himalayan primrose, etc. You can also try to naturalise it in a moist meadow (kept slightly drier in summer) in non-calcareous soil.

Crocus roots can contract like a spring, allowing the plant to settle at its ideal depth.