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Crocus serotinus

Common name:		Family:	Iridaceae
Author:	Salisb.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Southern Europe to Northern Africa and Western Asia.
Habitat:	Stony slopes in scrub and open pine woods[90].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	serotinus = late;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Liliales. Iris family

Physical Characteristics

Corm growing to 0.05m. It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from November to May, in flower from November to December. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees and butterflies. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Cultivated Beds, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

Colouring; Condiment.

The flowers are used as a saffron substitute in flavouring food and colouring it yellow[177, 183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Dye.

The yellow dye obtained from the stigmas yields a yellow dye, it is a saffron substitute[177].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils, conditions and positions[1]. Plants grow well in a peaty soil in a bulb frame and should succeed outdoors in a sandy peaty soil[90]. The subspecies C. serotinus austriacus can be naturalized in grass or beneath deep rooting trees on light well-drained soils[200].
Plants tend to move considerably from their original planting place because of their means of vegetative reproduction, it is therefore wise not to grow different species in close proximity[1].
Any planting out is best done in late spring or early summer[245].
Mice are very fond of the corms of this species[1].
Plants take 3 - 4 years to flower from seed[200].
The flowers are only open during the day time, closing at night[245].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light sandy soil in pots in a cold frame[1]. The seed can also be sown in a cold frame in early spring[1]. Sow thinly because the seed usually germinates freely[1], within 1 - 6 months at 18°c[164]. Unless the seed has been sown too thickly, do not transplant the seedlings in their first year of growth, but give them regular liquid feeds to make sure they do not become deficient. Divide the small bulbs once the plants have died down, planting 2 - 3 bulbs per 8cm pot. Grow them on for another 2 years in a greenhouse or frame and plant them out into their permanent positions when dormant in late summer[K]. Plants take 3 - 4 years to flower from seed[200].
Division f the clumps after the leaves die down in spring[1, 200]. The bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for the family Iridaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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