Crocus, Waterlily

Crocus are native the Mediterranean and parts of Asia and are among the oldest of cultivated bulbs. They are actually members of the Iris family. Most Fall Crocus are Colchicum. The name comes from the word Colchis which was the name of an ancient kingdom considered to be the home of all sorcery. The first plants were said to have sprung up from drops of a potion brewed by Medea, the daughter of the king of Colchis who created the potion to restore youth to her aging father. The plants have always been prized for their medicinal abilities. They contain the chemical colchicine which has been used for centuries to cure gout.

The Waterlily Crocus was introduced in 1905 by the English nurseryman, J. J. Kerbert of Zocher & Co., Haarlem, England. It was the result of an intensive breeding program managed by Kerbeert. Of all the bulbs which bloom in the autumn garden this is undeniably the most opulent. The huge, 4-6 in. wide rose pink blooms are a welcome surprise in the dreary fall. A single corm can produce as many as 8 blossoms. This plant is definitely a “MUST HAVE” for any garden. Plant the corms 6 in. deep and 6-8 in. apart.