In late autumn, delicate flowers resembling crocuses appear on the empty flower beds of summer residents. This is Colchicum, or colchicum. They belong to the timeless family. There are more than seventy of their species.
Colchicum: where they grow and how they look
They grow in Europe, Asia, North Africa. Take a look at how beautiful colchicum flowers are! The photo shows their charm. Plant height may exceed twenty centimeters. In spring, large leaves appear first. Then, in the summer, the seeds ripen. Leaves fade, and flowers bloom in autumn. They have the shape of a funnel or a glass, attract bright colors: blue, yellow, purple, white, pale purple. Almost all parts of the plant are poisonous, contain alkaloids, therefore, when working with it, care must be taken, gloves must be worn. Even the water in which the cut plants stood was poisoned.
Breeding Features
Colchicums are usually flowers that bloom in the fall, before snow falls. But there are varieties that open in the spring. They are very unpretentious. They can be planted in a flowerbed well lit by the sun, next to tall perennial flowers and ornamental herbs. They will be very good in rock gardens, near shrubs, under trees. Decorate the territory of the summer cottage with charming islets on the lawns.
Colchicum flowers are well suited for cutting - they can stand for a very long time in a vase with water. Of the plant species most popular and well-known among gardeners, we can mention colchicums of Bieberstein, Agrippa, and Bornmüller. As well as Autumn, Cilicia and others.
The land for planting corms should be loose, moderately moist, light, loamy, saturated with nutrients. They need to be planted to a depth of 7 to 10 centimeters (this depends on the size of the planting material). Flowers should be arranged so that between them was a distance of ten to fifteen centimeters. This is due to the fact that colchicum flowers can rain from rain, lose their decorative effect.
For plants that bloom in autumn, the optimal time for planting in open ground is August. In one place, flowers can grow for quite a long time, up to six years. Watering should be done as needed. For wintering, colchicum flowers require additional preparations. Plants mulch peat, humus. Fallen foliage and spruce branches are also suitable. In July or August, when the leaves turn yellow, they are dug up. The resulting corms are separated from the mother and dried. Store, like tulips, in a cool place. As a selection, the propagation of flowers by seeds is used. But in this case, they develop longer and begin to bloom only in the 5th or 6th year.
Pest protection
Colchicum flowers need protection against diseases and pests. Most often, they are affected by slugs. To protect the plants, we must regularly weed the flower beds from weeds, loosen the soil. Pour superphosphate over the ground.
If these wonderful flowers settle in your garden, you can enjoy their tender spring beauty until the first frost.