Characteristics, uses and care of plants of the genus Crocus

Genus Crocus

The gender Crocus the one that contains saffron is known. It is a perennial plant that produces very beautiful flowers every year and is in demand for both decoration and other uses. This genus is commonly known by the name of croco and within this genus is the species known as saffron. Its scientific name is Crocus sativus.

Stay and read this article because we are going to tell you about the characteristics and care of these plants and we will also talk about saffron. Do not miss it!

Key features

Plants of the genus Crocus

Although crocus is confused with saffronis the species Crocus sativus the one that represents this plant. This genus is native to various areas of Europe, where we potentially find the Mediterranean. In general, it resists quite well to various environmental conditions, so we should not worry too much about its care. It is perfect for growing in pots in order to place it in the place that best matches with other flowers.

Normally, this plant is used in the flowering season and then it is fixed in place until the following season. The bulbs are kept in other containers for other plants. There are more than 80 species that are part of this genus, among which we have the Crocus sativus (saffron). They are well known for being plants that bloom in spring and that fill any place where you are with color. There are some plants that also bloom in autumn, so we will see later on the care we have to give them in the different seasons of the year.

Flowers that grow individually they have a very short life span of only a few weeks. Up to 20 flowers can appear in a single bulb. They can reach heights of up to 8 cmso they are very tiny. In some more exuberant species we find sizes of up to 13 cm. The flowers are cup-shaped and many of them have petals that are pointed and others are rounded. This change in the morphology of many flowers gives a different touch to have more diversity in the decoration. The same thing happens with monstera that gives different levels of depth to the garden.

Flowering and decoration

Crocus flowers

Leaves of plants of the genus Crocus they are usually swapped between purple, white, and yellow. Because we can also find hybrid plants there are colors and varieties between bicolor, striped and mottled. All this combination is appreciated when adding more color to what we are decorating.

The leaves, however, they are narrower and green in color. Sometimes we can find them streaked white in species that bloom in spring. On the other hand, in those that have their flowering in autumn, the leaves have a process that lasts up to two months and in which they turn yellow until they wither and die after flowering.

Because of the size of the plant in general so small, the Crocus is perfect to have them in pots. They can provide a rather curious decorative arrangement and can last from late winter to spring and fall. It all depends on how you combine those species that bloom in spring and which ones in fall.

Among the uses that these plants have we find for decorating curbs, rockeries, colored spots on the lawn, adding diversity of colors, pots on terraces and balconies or placing them in the undergrowth for better appeal.

Crocus care in spring and summer

Crocus colors

As the care that these plants need depends a lot on the type of flowering they have, we are going to divide the care into both. The first thing we must take into account is the container where we are going to grow the plant. It has to have a compost rich in nutrients and up to 8 cm deep. The bulbs should not touch each other. Those species that have their flowering in spring must be cultivated in autumn so that they can grow and develop during that time to flower.

We will place the pots in a sunny and bright location, protecting them from areas where the wind attack harder. The compost must be soaked when we plant it and keep it moist until the growth of the bulbs is noticeable. When the flowers have dried and the leaves turned yellowish, as we have mentioned before, the compost It does not need any type of irrigation until next September. As soon as the flowers fade and the leaves turn yellow, remove the bulbs from the pot and store them in a cool, dry place. Do not remove the leaves or flowers when they die.

Crocus care in autumn and winter

Flower arrangement with Crocus

Once the months have passed and the month of September arrives, we will keep the compost moist again throughout the winter month. To do this, we will increase the frequency of irrigation until the shoots begin to emerge at the end of the season. Those species that bloom in the fall season require care very similar to those in spring. You just have to save the bulbs and make sure they are not damaged by some rodents that can wreak havoc.

Unlike those that bloom in spring, these they need to be sown in spring for them to bloom in fall. The procedure is the same. In the months when the bulbs are planted, the soil must be kept moist, increasing irrigation. In this case, you have to be more careful because this vegetative growing season coincides with the warmest months of the year when more water is needed. Thus, we must have greater vigilance than with those that bloom in spring.

Once the shoots have started to come out, we reduce the watering so as not to rot the plant. If we can make decorative flower arrangements alternating species that bloom in spring with those that do in autumn, we will be achieving a diverse range of colors throughout the year without any interruption.

I hope these tips have helped you to learn more about the Crocus genus.

Characteristics, uses and care of plants of the genus Crocus

Leave a Reply

Scroll to top

Discover more from DIY Gardens

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading