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Bulbs

Colchicum cilicicum
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

Cilician meadow saffron

A cormous perennial 10cm high with semi-erect, narrowly elliptic to elliptic-lance-shaped leaves, 30-40cm long, from winter to spring, and 3-25 funnel-shaped flowers, 4-7.5cm long, with purplish pink tepals, sometimes deeper in colour towards the blunt tips, in autumn; colchicums are a useful late-season source of pollen for honeybees

Synonyms
Colchicum speciosum 'Tenori'
Colchicum tenorei Parl.
see moreColchicum × tenorei
Colchicum decaisnei misapplied
Colchicum balansae var. macrophyllum
Colchicum × byzantinum var. cilicicum
Colchicum × byzantinum auct.

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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer
Autumn Pink Purple
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Colchicaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
TOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus

Colchicum are cormous perennials with usually coarse, broadly strap-shaped leaves which appear with or after the goblet-shaped flowers

Name status

Correct

Plant range
Turkey Syria Lebanon

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How to grow

Cultivation

Plant 10cm deep, moist but well-drained, deep, humus-rich, fertile soil in an open site in full sun in summer or early autumn. Intolerant of waterlogging. See bulb cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown in containers in an open frame as soon as it is ripe, or by removing cormlets when dormant in summer; for more advice, see bulb propagation

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Rock garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds (Botrytis), smuts, and tulip grey bulb rot

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