Crocus

Шафран

Crocus Crocus scharojanii Credit: Tatyana Shulkina

About 80 species from the Mediterranean through the Caucasus and Central Asia to western China, 23 in the FSU, mainly in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Some are well known in cultivation (C. speciosus Bieb. adorns many gardens in Europe and in the USA), others are poorly known (e.g. C. alatavicus Regel et Semen., C. angustifolius Weston, C. heuffelianus Herb., C. korolkowii Regel ex Maw, C. scharojanii Rupr., C. vallicola Herb., etc.). Among them spring (C. heuffelianus, bright violet) and autumn (C. scharojanii, bright orange) flowering species. Some of the species described below are totally unknown. All are very good in the rock garden and flower beds for spring decoration. Propagation by division (daughter corms) or by seed. Require well-drained soil.

Lower Taxa

• Crocus artvinensis (Philippow) Grossh.
• Crocus autranii Albov
• Crocus heuffelianus Herb.
• Crocus korolkowii Regel ex Maw
• Crocus michelsonii B. Fedtsch.
• Crocus pallasii Goldblatt

Related Synonym(s):

• Crocus bannaticus Heuffel = Crocus heuffelianus Herb.