Aren't these flowers beautiful? Many folks know them as fall-blooming crocus but they really aren't a true crocus at all. They are actually called Colchicum autumnale and their common name is Meadow Saffron.
They can be purchased as small bulbs known as corms. The interesting thing is that the plants send up leaves during the spring which die back in midsummer. Then, by the time you have completely forgotten about them several weeks later, these beautiful flowers pop up out of the ground in the fall. And what a delight they are to see!
The flowers come in varying shades of lavender, purple or white but what you see in this photo are the most common ones. I bought some many, many years ago at Northwest Seed & Pet and they have grown reliably for me every year. No matter what, they are always a delightful surprise each fall.
