Colchicum baytopiorum

Colchicaceae

Colchicum baytopiorum

Habitat: alpine house Flowering: autumn Height: 8 cm Width: 8 cm Soil: rich, gritty

Colchicums are autumn-flowering crocuses, known as naked ladies because in most species the flowers appear before the foliage develops. Most of them have bright pink flowers, some of them with tessellated patterns of darker pink or purple, and there are varieties with pale pink or white flowers. In most cases the foliage appears in the spring, dying back in summer.

Colchicum baytopiorum has lovely pink flowers, much smaller than those of the common varieties, but surprisingly vigorous in the garden.
1 bulb £6.00

		Colchicum corsicum is a neat, compact variety having delicate lilac-pink flowers, with rich yellow stamens, in autumn. The narrow foliage, which follows the flowers, forms tidy clumps.
		Colchicum cf. cupanii is one of the smaller forms, producing three or four flower heads in colours ranging from pink through pale lilac to almost white.
		Colchicum 'Glory of Heemstede' - when we first saw this growing in Holland, we were smitten - but demand was so high that we were unable to acquire any. Now we have our own stock of this excellent variety, which makes thick clumps, with deep lilac-rose, faintly chequered, goblet-shaped
		Colchicum pusillum is a dwarf species, with pale pink flowers in autumn, originating from the eastern Mediterranean. It has about six narrow leaves, which appear while it is flowering or shortly afterwards.
		Colchicum tenorei is a large, free-flowering autumn crocus with rose-lilac flowers, and stigmas with crimson-violet tips.
		Colchicum 'The Giant' has large pink flowers.
		Colchicum 'Waterlily' is a very fine autumn crocus with lots of large, fully double, flowers, which are somewhere on the violet side of pink. The flowers are probably the largest doubles of all colchicums.
		Colchicum 'William Disraeli' bears beautiful, rich, magenta chequered flowers with white centres.
		Merendera montana is a member of a small genus closely related to Colchicum, flowering in the meadows in autumn, in this case in the Pyrenees. There are six narrow, deep pink 'petals', opening wide to give a starry appearance.
		Merendera montana SDR1209 is from a small genus that is closely related to Colchicum, flowering in the meadows in autumn, in this case in the Pyrenees. There are six deep pink 'petals' which open wide.