The spell of early springtime- flounced by the first mild warmth, succeeding a long, gray, cold, and dull winter, drives us all into the garden.
There, in the most unexpected nooks, the first crocuses appear, gloriously singing about the arrival of spring.
We find them everywhere near ponds, in the lawns, under trees, between flagstones, in the kitchen garden, in the rock garden, on the borders, and even in the paths.
Indeed, they have sown themselves in so many places that they really seem to sprout out of the soil, as if by spontaneous generation — and this for our own personal pleasure!
A Mine of Gold
The first crocus of the season is the bright golden Crocus aureus, really a mine of gold; it is visited by the first bees, to which it generously distributes its pollen. Then, we begin to dream about an abundant crop of honey.
This species seems to have been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century. It was imported from the East, and its actual habitat appears unknown. It may have been Asia Minor.
Like Miniature Tulips
Later we watch the giant varieties, with deep, pure violet or blue flowers, appear, as well as the immaculate white, lilac, and striped ones, which look like miniature Rembrandt tulips.
It is a symphony of color that opens before our eyes, accompanied now by all the early bulbs and corms like
- Iris reliculata and histrio
- Eranthis hyemalis and its variety cilicica
- Chionodoxa Puschkinia scilloides libanotica
- Scilla siberica
- Snow-drops
- Galanthus nivalis
- Nivalis flore-pleno and G. elwesi robustus praecox
- Leucojum vernum
- Cyclamen count and C. ibcricum
- Hepaticas, especially the large-flowered, Hepatica angulosa
Spoon-like Form
Have you ever admired the perfect shape of the crocus petals? For most of them, they are ovate and spoon-like, very regular and harmonious.
The varieties most frequently grown are:
- Bluebird; Albion, white striped with mauve
- Kathleen Parlow, pure white
- C. sieberi purpureus yrandiflorus, large purple
- Queen of the Blues, light blue
- Remembrance, a very large deep blue
- Striped Beauty, white and purple
Botanical Types
Not so conspicuous, but also rather attractive, are the botanical types. I prefer Crocus tomasinianus, with its narrow and pointed mauve petals crowning a long slender corolla tube.
It is one of the earliest to flower. This Dalmatian native seeds freely, often in dense masses, even in the stony paths of gardens and grass.
However, it is difficult to decide which one we prefer as a favorite because it is usually the one we admire at the moment.
Crocus susianus, from Crimea and the Caucasus, is easily distinguished by its specularly-colored stamens, stigmata, and bright orange petals.
Easy Propagation
The striped C. versicolor and the double-flowered Crocus biflorus are other charming species worth having.
All of these are very easy to propagate by seed, which should be sown as soon as it is ripe in the late Spring.
Most of them, however, produce small corms at the base of the mother corm, so it is easy to increase your collection by division.
By this method, the plants often propagate themselves in large masses; but if divided, the plants will become larger and stronger.
Two Swiss Natives
In Swiss flora, only two wild crocuses arc described. They are C. sativas and C. reruns. The first one is subspontaneous, introduced into culture from the East long ago to produce saffron.
Interestingly, the stigmata are the source of this choice item, and 60,000 of them are required to obtain one pound of saffron.
Crocus sativus is not to be included in the “trumpets for Spring” as it is late-flowering. This explains why it is often taken for a colchicum.
The common name for colchicum, Autumn crocus, is confusing since colchicum belongs to the lily family, having six stamens and a superior ovary. In contrast, crocuses belong to the iris family, having three stamens and an inferior ovary.
Saffron Had Many Uses
In a very old book 1 have, Herb-Book by Petri Andreae, written in 1586, Crocus sativus is well illustrated with a good woodcarving illustration.
The description mentions its delicious purple flowers, which appear to be “subtile and elegant leaves,” and States that it dislikes heavy and immured soil but prefers poor soil.
It relates to Dioscorides, a famous Greek physician of the first century, stating that the best saffron was produced on Mount Olympus and Larnassus.
Then follows a list of all the ailments that saffron should cure: Stomachache, headache, internal pests, liver complaints, jaundice, eczema, swelling, and others.
If it were true, illness would have left this world entirely!
The author adds, however, that it must be taken with measure. Otherwise, as with wine, it brings on headaches, and too much can kill a person. Nowadays, it is used as a condiment and for its calmative properties.
Pushing Back the Snow
Perhaps the most impressive vision in Swiss Springtime is to see millions of Crocus vernus, violet or white, covering acres and acres of alpine slopes.
Tourists, amateur skiers, and local inhabitants take particular pleasure in rambling between snow patches among the crocuses, which are very much in such a hurry to see the sunlight, that they emerge through the snow itself!
They seem to push the snow to its upper limits, to the glaciers and sparkling peaks of ice.
And higher, gradually, like an army sent by Spring, the crocuses bring to the hearts of the people in the mountains joy and hope for better days after three to six months of rugged winter.
Is it any wonder that crocuses are popular all over our country?
44659 by Aymon Correvo