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Iridaceae
Crocus cartwrightianus 'Albus'
Cartwright's Fall Crocus, White Wild Saffron, Wild Saffron
A close cousin and presumed parent of saffron crocus, Crocus cartwrightianus is a diminutive herbaceous perennial from Greece and neighboring Mediterranean islands. Albino forms – including the pure white 'Albus' – are common in the wild. Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, 'Albus' sends up one to five fragrant flowers from early to mid-autumn, just as the grassy, gray-green leaves emerge. Held on upright, stalk-like, ankle-high floral tubes, the goblet-shaped flowers have yellow anthers and red styles. They are among the few crocus flowers that do not close overnight or when weather turns cloudy. The foliage goes dormant in late winter or early spring.
Grow this crocus in full sun in gritty, organic-rich, well-drained soil. It does best in warm, dryish summers and autumns. In cooler climates flowers may never form. It is growable in containers and dwarf plant troughs as well.
The female reproductive organ – the style – can be harvested right after the blossom opens and dried and used like real saffron. The flavor is not as robust, however. True saffron – Crocus sativus – is believed to be a sterile triploid (extra chromosome set) selected from C. cartwrightianus in ancient times.
9 - 6
6 - 9
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Full Sun
3"-4" / 7.6cm - 10.2cm
Fall
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Drought
Medium
Average Water
Clump-Forming
Showy
White
Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Yes
No
Single
Fine
Matte
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
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