Crocus sieberi

Crocus sieberi (Sieber's crocus), also referred to as the Cretan crocus, or snow crocus (as is Crocus chrysanthus), is a plant of the Crocus genus in the Iridaceae family. A small early blooming crocus, it easily naturalises. It grows wild in the Balkans, Greece and Crete. There are four subtypes: sieberi (Crete), atticus (Attica area around Athens), nivalis and sublimis. Its cultivars are used as ornamental plants. Height: 3–4 inches (7.6–10 cm).

Cultivars

Examples: 'Violet Queen' (deep amethyst-violet flowers, paler within, with a rich, golden centre), 'Tricolor' (gold centre, middle white band, outer rich lilac-blue edge), 'Firefly' (lilac), 'Bowles White' (white with orange centre), 'Hubert Edelsten' (outside deep purple with broad white bands, inside pale lilac with orange center), 'Ronald Ginns' (pale pink to white petals with dark purple feathering on the outside and a yellow throat)

References

• Jānis Rukšāns. Buried treasures: finding and growing the world's choicest bulbs, Timber Press, 2007. ISBN 0881928186, 9780881928181

External links

• The Plant Expert
• Paghat's Garden
• USDA
• The Alpine House
• Dave's Garden