(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...

(Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron, Naked Ladies)

One of the relatively few hardy "bulbs" to bloom late in the growing season, this cheerful perennial plant is certain to brighten the garden. A native of southeastern Europe, it grows from small globular corms (condensed underground stems) covered with papery tunics. The decorative, lance-shaped green leaves appear in early spring, providing nourishment for the corm before withering in late spring. In late summer, white buds emerge from the ground, maturing to deep reddish-purple flowers that create...

(Autumn Crocus, Naked Ladies)

One of the relatively few hardy "bulbs" to bloom late in the growing season, this European native is certain to brighten any garden. Its double-flowered cultivar 'Pleniflorum' bears numerous lavender-pink, starburst blooms in late summer.

Plump corms (condensed underground stems) covered with papery tunics send up large lance-shaped green leaves in early spring, which provide nourishment to the corm before withering and disappearing in early summer. In the waning days of summer, the flowers emerge...

(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,...

(Grecian Autumn Crocus, Pale Autumn Crocus)

Among the largest and most elegant of the fall-flowering crocuses, this native of southern Greece was introduced to gardens more than 100 years ago.

Growing from a small bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, this diminutive herbaceous perennial sends up one or two white or pale-lilac flowers in early to mid-autumn, just as the grassy, dark green leaves emerge. Held singly atop ankle-high, stalk-like floral tubes, the fragrant, goblet-shaped blooms have six "petals" (or segments) in two whorls....

(Fall Crocus)

Mocking winter's approach, this native of southeastern Europe and western Turkey opens its beautiful goblet-shaped flowers in fall.

A small herbaceous perennial that grows from a bulb-like storage organ known as a corm, Crocus pulchellus sends up one or two pale to medium lilac-blue flowers in early to mid autumn. The honey-scented blooms have deep lilac longitudinal veins. Held singly atop ankle-high, stalk-like floral tubes, the flowers have six "petals" (or segments) in two whorls....