(Spring Crocus)

Most gardeners know the delight of the first crocus of spring. Relatively few, though, have experienced the joy of crocuses at other seasons. Yet, in their native haunts in Europe and western Asia, these hardy herbaceous "bulbs" are as much a presence at the growing season's end as at its beginning.

Crocus are members of the Iris family, Iridaceae. They bear chalice-shaped flowers of yellow, blue, purple, or white with long floral tubes that extend underground and may bloom in winter,...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Providing a welcome burst of color at winter's end, this crocus opens its cheerful flowers even as the last remnants of snow linger. Introduced in 1966, it is one of many hybrids that trace their ancestry to Crocus chrysanthus and C. biflorus.

Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one to four relatively large, rounded, white flowers in winter or early spring, just as the grassy, shiny, dark green...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Providing a welcome burst of color at winter's end, this crocus opens its cheerful flowers even as the last remnants of snow linger. Introduced in the mid-twentieth century, it is one of many hybrids that trace their ancestry to Crocus chrysanthus and C. biflorus.

Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one to four pale blue flowers in winter or early spring, just as the grassy, shiny, dark green leaves...

(Snow Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Most gardeners know the delight of the first crocus of spring. Relatively few, though, have experienced the joy of crocuses at other seasons. Yet, in their native haunts in Europe and western Asia, these hardy herbaceous "bulbs" are as much a presence at the growing season's end as at its beginning.

Crocus are members of the Iris family, Iridaceae. They bear chalice-shaped flowers of yellow, blue, purple, or white with long floral tubes that extend underground and may bloom in winter,...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Providing a welcome burst of color at winter's end, this crocus opens its cheerful flowers even as the last remnants of snow linger. Introduced in the mid-twentieth century, it is a cultivar or hybrid of the southern European native Crocus tommasinianus.

Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one or two rich reddish-purple flowers in winter or early spring, just as the grassy, shiny, medium-green leaves emerge. The...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Providing a welcome burst of color at winter's end, this crocus opens its ethereal flowers even as the last remnants of snow linger. Introduced in 1972, it is one of many hybrids that trace their ancestry to Crocus chrysanthus and C. biflorus.

Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one to four pale blue flowers in winter or early spring, just as the grassy, shiny, dark green leaves emerge. Held singly...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

A welcome sight in late winter, this heirloom crocus opens its cheerful flowers while the last remnants of snow still linger. Originating in the early twentieth century, it is one of many hybrids that trace their ancestry to Crocus chrysanthus and C. biflorus. Like all other crocuses, this diminutive herbaceous perennial grows from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm. In late winter or early spring, one to four white flowers with hints of yellow arise on ankle-high,...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Providing a welcome burst of color at winter's end, this crocus opens its cheerful flowers even as the last remnants of snow linger. Introduced in the early twentieth century, it is a hybrid of Crocus tommasinianus and the large "Dutch crocus" (C. vernus).

Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one or two soft lilac flowers with silvery gray exteriors in winter or early spring, a week or two before...

(Snow Crocus, Spring Crocus)

Most gardeners know the delight of the first crocus of spring. Relatively few, though, have experienced the joy of crocuses at other seasons. Yet, in their native haunts in Europe and western Asia, these hardy herbaceous "bulbs" are as much a presence at the growing season's end as at its beginning.

Crocus are members of the Iris family, Iridaceae. They bear chalice-shaped flowers of yellow, blue, purple, or white with long floral tubes that extend underground and may bloom in winter,...

(Hybrid Crocus, Spring Crocus)

One of many crocuses that blooms in the fall, this hybrid of Crocus pulchellus and C. speciosus is an excellent choice for bringing color to the late-season garden. Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one or two pale pearly gray-blue flowers with mid-blue veins from early to mid-autumn. Held singly atop ankle-high, stalk-like floral tubes, the fragrant, up-facing, goblet-shaped blooms have six "petals"...