(Arabian Coffee, Coffee)

Arabian or Arabica coffee is a lovely upright evergreen shrub with graceful gray-barked branches, fragrant white flowers and fruits (drupes) that yield some of the best coffee for drinking. Native to Ethiopia but now cultivated in wooded, high-altitude plantations throughout the tropics, Arabica coffee is by far the most economically important of all coffees, accounting for as much as 80 percent of all coffee grown worldwide.

Coffea arabica has been long cultivated and enjoyed by a variety...

(Robusta Coffee)

Robusta coffee is an attractive upright evergreen shrub native from the western sub-Saharan African coast to the Congo River Basin. It yields coffee considered inferior in flavor and quality to the more renowned Coffea arabica, though it is much easier to grow than its more picky cousin as it can withstand higher growing temperatures and poorer soils.

This species blooms in springtime with clusters of pretty white flowers at the base of the leaves. Bees pollinate the blooms and green...

(Hybrid Autumn Crocus, Hybrid Meadow Saffron)

Delightfully fragrant, the violet-tinted rosy pink blooms of 'Rosy Dawn' robustly appear in earliest fall (rather than in spring like those of most other "bulbs"). Although sometimes called "autumn crocus," it is not related to the true crocus, which is in the iris family.

This hardy perennial produces large, oval leaves in spring, which gather energy for the underground bulb-like storage organ, known as a corm. In very early fall, about three months after the pointed leaves have withered, numerous...

(Hybrid Autumn Crocus, Hybrid Meadow Saffron)

Large in flower size and a robust display overall, the purplish blooms of 'The Giant' appear in earliest fall (rather than in spring like those of most other "bulbs"). Although sometimes called "autumn crocus," it is not related to the genus Crocus, which is in the iris family.

This hardy perennial produces large, broadly oval leaves in spring, which gather energy for the underground bulb-like storage organ, known as a corm. In very early fall, about three months after the pointed leaves...

(Hybrid Autumn Crocus, Hybrid Meadow Saffron)

Fragrant, checkered pink-violet blooms of 'Violet Queen' appear in earliest fall (rather than in spring like those of most other "bulbs"). Although sometimes called "autumn crocus," it is not related to the genus Crocus, which is in the iris family.

This hardy perennial produces large broad strap-shaped leaves in spring, which gather energy for the underground bulb-like storage organ, known as a corm. In late summer, about three months after the pointed leaves have withered, numerous...

(Double Autumn Crocus, Hybrid Autumn Crocus, Waterlily Autumn Crocus)

Prized for its exquisite lilac-pink fall flowers that indeed resemble those of its namesake, 'Waterlily' originated in the early twentieth century from a cross between Colchicum autumnale 'Alboplenum' and Colchicum speciosum 'Album'. Although sometimes called "autumn crocus," it is not related to the genus Crocus, which is in the iris family.

This plant produces large handsome strap-shaped leaves in spring, which gather energy for the underground bulb-like storage organ,...

(Hybrid Autumn Crocus, White Double Autumn Crocus)

With as many as 20 white tepals on each fall flower, 'White Waterlily' originated from a cross between Colchicum autumnale 'Album' and Colchicum speciosum 'Album'. Although sometimes called "autumn crocus," it is not related to the genus Crocus, which is in the iris family.

This plant produces large handsome strap-shaped leaves in spring, which gather energy for the underground bulb-like storage organ, known as a corm. In late summer or early fall, about three months...

(Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron, Naked Ladies)

Like a welcome surprise, the lavender-pink, goblet-shaped flowers of autumn crocus pop up from the ground to confirm that summer has truly ended. The common name is misleading, though the flowers of this hardy "bulb" do superficially resemble crocuses, colchicums are not related to the genus Crocus.

Native from southern and western Europe to Russia, autumn crocus grows from plump corms (condensed underground stems) with papery tunics. In spring, these send up decorative large lance-shaped...

(Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron, Naked Ladies)

Like a welcome surprise, the lavender-pink, goblet-shaped flowers of autumn crocus pop up from the ground to confirm that summer has truly ended. The common name is misleading, though the flowers of this hardy "bulb" do superficially resemble crocuses, colchicums are not related to the genus Crocus.

Native from southern and western Europe to Russia, autumn crocus grows from plump corms (condensed underground stems) with papery tunics. In spring, these send up decorative large lance-shaped...

(Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron, Naked Ladies)

Popping its white, goblet-shaped flowers up from the ground in early autumn, this cheerful hardy "bulb" is certain to brighten the garden. Native to Europe and western Russia, it grows from plump corms (condensed underground stems) covered with papery tunics. They send up large lance-shaped green leaves in spring, which provide nourishment to the corm before withering and disappearing in late spring. In the waning days of very late summer or early autumn, white flowers on long white tubes emerge...