Colchicum 'Waterlily'

AVAILABLE IN AUGUST-SEPTEMBER, WITH POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO OCTOBER.
Elegant double, mauve-coloured flowers. The pointed petals create the effect of a water lily.

Autumn crocus owes its name to its separate flowering and leaf-growth rhythm (tij-loos meaning 'timeless' or 'without specific time'). In autumn, the flowers appear as described above, and in spring, the substantial foliage emerges from the ground. Do not cut the leaves too early, as leaves are the plant's factory and allow the bulb (reserve food) to grow. Give Autumn crocus a slightly shaded spot, as they feel most at home there. If the bulbs are large enough (from 18/+), you can place them dry, and they will come into bloom. For this reason, they were often called "dry bloomers" in the past. Place them in light, preferably on an outdoor patio table, otherwise, you will get long and weak flower stems. It is more common to plant them directly in the ground, 2-3x the height of the bulb below the surface. Autumn crocus will bloom in the same place for years and naturalizes easily. Note: all parts of the plant are poisonous and even deadly to horses, including dried leaves in hay. For humans, Colchicine in the correct dosage is a medicine against inflammatory conditions.

Names:
Latin: Colchicum
Dutch: Herfsttijloos
Also known as: Droogbloeier
English: Autumn Crocus