Sep 12, 2024
Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus)
The pink petals of this beautiful autumn crocus take in the last rays of the sun. The leaves of this plant emerge in the spring but then die back, and only the flowers appear in the fall. We grew autumn crocuses in our garden for decades but an individual plant only lives for five years, and none have showed up this autumn. Luckily, I ran into this lovely specimen in a neighbor's rock garden. Now that's what I call Pinkolicious!
Be forewarned, unlike 'true' crocuses (one of which we get saffron from), the autumn crocus is deadly poisonous. Not recommended for gardeners who have kids or pets.
