What’s the first flower you think of when you think of autumn? If you’re like most people, the first one that comes to mind are mums. Have you ever experimented with other autumnal plants? While rounding the last block on our walk this morning, I came across something quite magical. An autumn crocus…Colchicum cilicicum.
Colchicum is free-flowering with up to 25 bright purplish pink flowers that deepen in color at the tips. When I looked it up, everything pointed to it being vigorous and easy to grow. Yay!! Colchicums prefer well-drained soil that doesn’t dry out in summer and they need shade where summers are hot.
Look at that color!! Isn’t it beautiful? I think I may try planting some of these guys for next year. Whatever you plant this weekend, we hope it’s grand.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Coming across something like that would surprise. Here in the northeast we get more of the reds, oranges and yellows of fall. It’s probably one of y favorite parts of the season, the colors.
Our autumnal colors are more in the golds so finding a shock of purple was definitely smile inducing.
Pretty flower!
And a nice change of color from other autumn blooms.
A furbulous color indeed🐾💜
💜nose nudges💜
We’re big fans of all shades of purple blooms.
Oh, those are BEAUTIFULS!!!!!! Do they have a scent?? They looks like they would smell good too.
How do they taste?? what? ☺
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
We love eating, oops I mean seeing, flowers in the Autumn. But lately our weather has still been summer!
Your Pals Who Are Checking In,
Murphy & Stanley
Nice to see you…we’ve missed you guys. 😍
Lovely and Beautiful Crocus. Shared on G+.
Thanks! Happy Sunday.
Definitely grand!
Especially welcome in a sea of brown and gold.
that is a very pretty flower indeed!!! Mom loves mums, but she never has much luck with them lasting very long:(
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Your mom shouldn’t feel bad…they have tested my abilities more than once.
How cool are those? Lovely, bright and a welcome surprise, to be sure.
Definitely in the drab browns of over-cooked plants with all these +90 days.
No kidding…
WOW those Autumn Crocuses are gorgeous Monika! I just learned something new today, lol!!!
((hugs)) Sherri-Ellen & **purrsss** BellaDharma
Aren’t they striking? They definitely caught my in the early morning light.
Those are beautiful. I’ll have to keep those in mind for my garden too, if I ever get around to actually planting one. LOL
Bwahaha! Good one.
They are a nice change of pace and bring some pretty color to the garden this time of year.
These are new to us too but would be perfect for an autumn arrangement. Thanks for finding them,
Definitely brighten up any garden.
We never heard of these either! We will definitely be adding them to our list of things to plant – they’re beautiful!
I have loads of spring blooming crocus but none that bloom in autumn. They sure add some much needed and pretty color to the garden this time of year.
Gorgeous bright colors. I love the tessellation on the petals. I’m sold!
I love that word! Thanks for making me smile on an otherwise dreadful day. 😍
We have a bit of a special affinity for mums inasmuch as the AJF is Japanese. For Japanese, the flower is not just a sign of autumn but it is also a national symbol – the monarchy is referred to as the Chrysanthemum Throne and the Imperial crest is a stylized mum blossom. This time of year the flowers are everywhere. They show up on your dinner plate, in pickles, on fashion, draped in store windows and at “matsuri” (festivals). Literally, everywhere. They are called “kiku” in Japanese and many girls, especially those born in Fall, have a name that include the flower, for example “Kikuko” (kiku child). My only problem with the plant is that it is so darn hard to type “Chrysanthemum”.
Don’t get me wrong, I love mums (and mostly refuse to type the whole name out because it is hard-I have to phonetically call out each syllable in order to do it), But that purplish color of those crocuses was so striking in a landscape of yellow, brown and rust. Then again some of that could be due to the lack of rain. 😉
When I read the introduction I thought of autumn crocuses…we had swathes of them at the last house in France…and scrolled down and there they were!
I liked sedums too, heads turning the colour of rust or dark pink.
They are so striking since they aren’t the usual earth toned colors of autumn.
What a beautiful and delicate little guy…and what a great find!!
It does look delicate though I think it’s probably quite hardy like other crocuses.
There are many lovely autumn flowers other than mums and asters, which are ubiquitous this time of year. Autumn crocus are lovely, as are fall anemones. Crocus sativus is the one from which saffron is collected, but you’d need LOTS to make a teaspoon.
Sadly, too many gardeners have become accustomed to the ‘big box store’ plant availability. When I went to both HD & Lowes recently, they only had mums and not even asters. Had to go to a greenhouse to find one.
The sad thing is the pressure that the box stores put on the smaller growers. The florist industry has taken quite the hit. Will we ordering our wedding and funeral flowers to be jetted in from Colombia?
That’s about right. Really stupid. If it weren’t for a few small ma & pop greenhouses the selections would be pitiful. I just pray they can compete in a culture that only values cheap prices with little diversity.
Agreed. I try to patronize them even if I have to pay a bit more. It is worth keeping them alive.
Indeed.
If it’s an autumn flower, I’m surprised that it is rocking these temps in the 90’s. But they look just fine!
That striking color really blew me away. No earth tones for this crocus!
Wow! It is SO vivid!
Great picture, especially with the raindrops on the petals!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Pit
Thanks, if only those were rain drops. It was actually irrigation. Rain has been a total stranger here. 🙁
Uh oh! Well, I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully you’ll get rain soon.
I’m not hopeful. It’s been in the mid-90’s all week and the forecast shows only full sunshine icons through next Wednesday. *Sigh*
Not good. 🙁 Sorry to hear!
Yeah, it is what it is. Our weather patterns are becoming much closer aligned to the panhandle minus any humidity.
True – unfortunately.
Try saying colchicum cilicicum three times fast. I dare ya… 🤓
Bwahaha! It’s a real tongue twister for sure.
the color is fabulous!!! imagine to have such a dress wow!
It really yelled at me while we were walking by. I had to go into that neighbor’s garden to take a photo of it! The dogs thought I’d lost it. 😊
A fall crocus. I fell like now I’ve seen it all. (But of course, I haven’t)
I know…who knew they had some that bloomed in autumn?