Planting and caring for autumn crocus (colchicum) in open ground

Colchicum, also known as colchicum or autumn flower, is a very mysterious plant, which is what attracts gardeners. Today, colchicum is widespread, gaining popularity for its ability to produce fragrant flowers without foliage in the fall, the latter, in turn, appearing in the spring. Planting colchicum in the open ground and caring for it will be the simplest task for you, but how much pleasure it will bring to observe the most delicate flower stalks.

Description and characteristics

Colchicum is a perennial with short stems, lanceolate leaves of dark green color and large peduncles of various colors - from pink to lilac, with various inclusions and veins of dark shades. Some types of colchicum have the peculiarity of producing greenery in early spring and dying off by the beginning of the summer season.

Colchicum root is presented in the form of an elongated bulb. Flowering of the autumn tree begins in the fall, at the end of September, and continues until the end of October. The peduncle is 20 centimeters high and ends in a beautiful, rather large flower, up to 8 centimeters in diameter. Some specimens may be smaller. Colchicum looks spectacular in the fall, when a spot of colorful funnel-shaped flowers appears on already blackened soil, without greenery.

Peculiarities

Colchicum has a number of features:

1. In appearance, and in its ability to bloom in autumn or spring, colchicum resembles crocuses. But the second flowers are somewhat smaller in size.
2. Another feature of the plant is the appearance of a seed pod along with green leaves in early spring. Closer to June, the fruit ripens, forming seeds.
3. It is worth noting that colchicum is a poisonous flower, so if there are children in the house, they should not be allowed near the plant.

Despite the danger of the flower, it is still loved and grown fruitfully, decorating the garden in the fall, when the foliage becomes withered and many flowers simply fade.

Cycle of life

Colchicum is a rather unusual flowering plant. Juicy large leaves appear in spring. Their greenery is simply pleasing to the eye; they seem to be coated with wax on top, making them appear shiny. By the beginning of summer, the foliage dies off and does not appear until next spring.

One bulb can produce up to five inflorescences, which appear in September, as already noted. The colchicum seed box does not come to the surface, as usual, but in winter it develops in the bulb. With the onset of spring warmth, it comes to the surface of the earth with foliage. Once the fruits turn brown, they are cut and wait until they open to collect the seeds.

Interesting! This life cycle is associated with natural growing conditions. Colchicum comes from Mediterranean countries, where the summer period is quite dry, so the flower seems to retire after spring, store up energy and nutrients, and bloom in the autumn months.

Beneficial features

Despite the fact that the plant is poisonous, it is actively used in folk medicine. Colchicum has the following effects on the human body:

1. The substance colchicine is the basis of medications for gout and inflammation of the walls of blood veins (phlebitis).
2. Medicines from colchicum are used for protein metabolism disorders and joint diseases.
3. Tablets are created based on colchicine for use in dentistry.
4. The second most valuable substance produced from colchicum is kolhamin. Medicines containing it are used to treat cancer.
5. Colchicum herb has a diuretic effect.
6. Decoctions and infusions have long been used for rubbing against rheumatism, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Even knowing about colchicum poisoning, it is used with caution to induce vomiting and as a laxative.

Growing from seeds

This method of reproducing colchicums is rarely used, since it is very long, and you have to wait 6-7 years to see flowering.During this time, the bulb will be able to gain strength and become stronger in order to develop a flower.

Important! There are only a few species of crocus that are propagated by seed, blooming in spring and with a single bulb (without daughter root formations), for example, yellow colchicum.

Procedure for growing a plant from seeds:

1. Prepare a loose, fertile soil mixture. Lightly moisturize it.
2. Sowing begins at the beginning of summer, immediately after collecting the seeds.
3. Before placing in the ground, the seed material is soaked in clean water for several minutes.
4. Then the colchicum bulb is embedded in the soil to a depth of 0.5-1 centimeter.

If the moment of timely planting is missed, then it will be possible to sow colchicum seeds in six months, and during this time the seeds must undergo stratification. To do this, the seeds are packed in paper and placed in the refrigerator.

Caring for young colchicum seedlings is very simple, it consists of the following agrotechnical actions:

• loosening spring shoots;
• thinning;
• regular watering of green plants until the leaves die;
• weeding;
• shelter for the winter with dry grass, spruce branches, covering material.

In the first year of sowing, you may not find shoots, but they will appear the next year, so in order not to miss this moment, you should mark the place where the flower is sown.

Planting in open ground

What growing conditions should be provided for colchicum:

1. The soil must be fertile. Does not require transplantation to a new location for 6 years.
2. The flower can be either illuminated or in the shade. Colchicum is usually planted under tall trees.
3. It has no special requirements for moisture.

Important! If groundwater passes close to the soil surface, then bulbs cannot be planted in this place.

When to plant

For fall-blooming colchicums, planting is organized in August. A peduncle can appear within a couple of weeks, but only if the bulb is large and has a large supply of nutrients. If you plant the planting material in October, the flower will appear next fall.

How to plant

The process must be performed according to the following algorithm:

1. They are planning a place for a flowerbed of colchicums.
2. Follow the planting pattern for bulbs: between neighbors - 10-20 centimeters, in depth - 8-20 centimeters. These parameters should be taken into account depending on the diameter of the bulb. If the root is small, then the depth is reduced; if it is large, then it is planted deeper.
3. Mineral fertilizers are applied to the marked bed: superphosphate, at the rate of 1 tablespoon per square meter, and 1 liter of wood ash. Top dressing is completed by loosening or digging. In addition to minerals, organic matter is added: 10 kilograms of humus and 5 kilograms of sand per 1 square meter.
4. The bulbs are deepened into the soil, leaving a long tube on the surface of the soil. This tube serves as a place for the peduncle to emerge.

After immersing the bulbs in the soil, the flowerbed should be watered generously and a layer of mulch should be applied on top so that the moisture does not evaporate quickly.

Choosing the right place

It is common to see colchicums in the shade of fruit bushes. In spring they are sheltered from the scorching sun, and in winter the flowers are covered with fallen leaves. Colchicum flower beds are usually not placed separately, since during the summer the plant is completely absent, which means the space will be empty, so their cultivation is combined with other plants.

The bulbs go deep, which means that creeping flowers with a fibrous root system, for example, periwinkle and various tenacious flowers, can be planted on the surface. Even if the colchicum dries out, the ground cover creepers will hide the dead wood.

Care

Colchicum is loved by gardeners for its ease and low demands. When caring for autumn trees, special attention should be paid to spring feeding and replanting of bulbs. How does this happen?

How to transplant to another place

Colchicum is allowed to grow in one place for 6-7 years. Next he requires a transplant. Usually in the fall a lot of leaves appear in a cluster, which means that daughter bulbs have grown on the mother bulbs. Such colchicums will stop blooming in the fall and begin to get sick. You should start digging up the bulbs in late spring, early summer, when the greens are completely dry. It needs to be transplanted to a new location in August. During this period of time, the bulbs are thoroughly washed, treated with potassium permanganate, and dried. Stored in this form in a cool, dark place until August.

Diseases and pests

Frequent guests on colchicums are snails and slugs. They are attracted by the lush green foliage, especially since the plant usually grows in the shade of other shrubs or tall flowers. Any insecticide is used to control pests. To prevent snails from attacking autumn trees, eggshells are laid out on the flowerbed and small pebbles are scattered. With abundant moisture, the leaves become covered with gray rot. Fungicides for any flowering plants help here: Topaz, Champion. You should also remove severely damaged shoots and allow the soil to dry until the next watering.

Feeding and watering

You should start feeding colchicum in the spring, when leaves appear from under the ground. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied to the nearby area. This will allow the plant to have very large leaves, which will store in the bulb a sufficient amount of nutrients necessary for further flowering. In the fall, any organic fertilizers or mineral complexes for flowering plants are added to the digging.

In the spring, when leaves appear, the flower does not need high humidity, that is, watering. There will be enough melt water reserves for the leaves to grow. Yes, and sunlight too.

When buds begin to hatch from the ground, and the trees have not yet acquired foliage, lighting is sufficient for Colchicum; then, before the greenery dies, light is also not needed. During flowering, there is no more foliage on the trees, so the flower stalks are bathed in an abundance of light. And there is no need to water, as the colchicum is preparing for a period of rest. In general, caring for the plant in this regard is simple.

After flowering

Many gardeners begin to trim the slightly drooping parts of the plant. This cannot be done. The plant will get rid of its elements on its own when the moment comes. And as the bulb grows, it gains strength and nutrients.

Main types and varieties

The most popular and in demand are autumn-blooming colchicums. Protruding peduncles in spring are less common and are less attractive. Today, colchicums are replete with a variety of varieties, differing in size and color palette. Below, in the table, we will try to present the most beautiful and fashionable varieties.

All types and varieties are hardy, resistant to drought and severe frost. In addition, hybrid varieties can be found in any catalog of flower and ornamental plants.

Reproduction

Colchicum can be propagated in two ways: seeds and bulbs.

Seeds

A labor-intensive process in terms of waiting for the release of flower stalks, which appear after 6-7 years.

Bulbs

The vegetative method of reproduction involves the separation of daughter bulbs, which grow every year. When in the spring a lot of stems with leaves appear, it means that babies have grown on the mother plant. They are dug up in August and stored until October, when they are planted. Colchicum in the garden is a decoration for any flower bed: in spring it pleases with large, tall leaves, in autumn with spectacular flowers of various colors. We have highlighted a wide selection of colchicum varieties and species to assist with your purchase. You can create compositions involving several varieties at once, the main thing is to have imagination, and the plant will thank you for this with lush fragrant flowering.

Answers on questions

Due to the unusual growth of a flowering plant, many novice gardeners ask questions, to which they receive answers from knowledgeable people:

1. Why have the flowers become smaller? Most likely, there was an increase in daughter bulbs. The tubers receive fewer nutrients, and they themselves are smaller, so the flower stalks become smaller. Separating the nest will help solve the problem. Why do they dig up a plant in June and July and plant it in a new place in August?
2. How often to replant colchicum? Strong growth occurs over 4-5 years, so by the fifth year, when about 12 flower stalks appear from the ground, the plant must be replanted.
3. In what form can plant poisoning occur, and which parts of it are the most poisonous? Colchicum is poisonous all over, from the bulb to the seeds. Consuming 6 grams of seeds may cause irreversible reactions in adults, while a child may die. The first signs are vomiting, diarrhea, lymphocytosis.Therefore, in order to protect yourself and your household, you should not dry and keep the bulbs in an accessible place, and when the plant reaches the surface, make sure that the children do not approach the flowerbed.

Reviews

Vladimir, 55 years old, Barnaul.

“I live in harsh Siberian climatic conditions. Winter always brings surprises. Every year in the garden we have to part with some plant that did not survive the next severe frost. I want to express my delight in favor of the colchicum. Planted it under an apple tree. A currant bush grows on one side and a gooseberry bush on the other. It turns out that even in a winter with little snow, the flowerbed is covered with snow. This is how my colchicum is preserved, not covered by anything. Frosts in Altai can even reach -42 degrees. It’s a pity that in the summer you don’t get to see beautiful large flowers.”

Olga, 36 years old, Saratov.

“I’ve known Colchicum not long ago. I liked the rather spectacular dark green leaves at the market that the granny was selling. I thought it would be a large flower. Well, I planted it in my garden. When he disappeared after some time. I think, well, that’s it – it’s gone and gone. But in the fall, graceful pink flowers appeared, and that’s when I remembered why flowers suddenly bloomed in this place.”