Colchicum & relatives 2020

[Gail]

The met office said only a 10% chance of rain today so I went to see the Colchicum trial at Hyde Hall. I hadn't quite appreciated how cold and windy it would be and should have taken gloves but some colchicums were nevertheless still standing. The trial actually finished last year but they have left the colchicums in position on a slightly raised bank by the dry garden. Clearly labelled and displayed.

[Gail]

Colchicum speciosum 'Rubrum'

[Gail]

Colchicum autumnale 'Alboplenum'


Colchicum autumnale 'Album'


Colchicum 'Dick Trotter'

[Gail]

Colchicum 'Giant'


I didn't notice any colchicums used elsewhere in the garden which seemed a shame. There were a few sternbergias and Nerine bowdenii in the dry garden.

[Leena]

Thank you Gail for posting pictures from the trial
C.speciosum 'Rubrum' looks like my unknown Colchicum, at least from the outside.
Do I see right that there is tesselation in 'Giant'? I have one I got as 'The Giant' in a plant swap, and I don't know it's origin. It looks different than the one in your picture, and also it doesn't have tesselation. Maybe mine is named wrong and it is some other hybrid.
It grows in not so good place, too shady, but it still grows and flowers well.
In the third picture there is C.bivonae going over soon and behind it 'Beaconfield' just starting to flower. It is so good to have Colchicums which flower in different times.
In the fourth picture in the background there is 'Autumn Herald' (I have been able to divide it several times so that now it grows in many places in the garden), and in the foreground there is 'Antares' which I like very much.

[Gail]

Do I see right that there is tesselation in 'Giant'? I have one I got as 'The Giant' in a plant swap, and I don't know it's origin. It looks different than the one in your picture, and also it doesn't have tesselation.

Of Giant, the book says; "very faintly tessellated within towards the margins" One of the largest-flowered cultivars, this has rather pale, coarse blooms. From established clumps they are produced en masse but have a tendency to fall over after a short time in bloom. This cultivar is however, extremely vigorous in the garden and quick to multiply. For this reason it is quite often offered for sale, sometimes unidentified and without a name.
often incorrectly listed as 'The Giant' (and actually was labelled as The Giant at Hyde Hall!)

There is a suspicion that much of the stock is virused which manifests as streakiness in the flowers.

[Tristan_He]

I bought a single bulb of this Colchicum about 15 years ago and I'm afraid I have lost the label - I think it may be pannonicum but am more than happy to be corrected! It does well in a damp meadow area and the flowers hold up to rain better than many Colchicum. Last year I split it in the hope of spreading it around and was very pleased to find 35 bulbs!

[Tristan_He]

Nice to see the trial of Colchicums at Hyde Hall... but why on earth are they growing them over gravel? Surely that's just asking for the flowers to get flattened. 

[Gail]

Oh, your planting is delightful Tristan! I've bought some C. autumnale for a (socially distanced) group planting session around the village sign and hope they do as well as yours...

[Tristan_He]

Thanks Gail! I'm sure yours will thrive too, they seem very trouble-free plants. They look great in grass and seem to be very easy here, I love the way they pop up in autumn like mushrooms. I also like the big leaves in a meadow in spring too, they give a bit of texture.

[Maggi Young]

These  photos from Matt Berry  of  Greenwings Holidays   ( www.greenwings.co.uk )
Colchicum macrophyllum through the seasons in  Greece

Photo 1: flowers, taken yesterday.


Photo 2: carpet of leaves, taken in March.

[Leena]

Of Giant, the book says; "very faintly tessellated within towards the margins" One of the largest-flowered cultivars, this has rather pale, coarse blooms. From established clumps they are produced en masse but have a tendency to fall over after a short time in bloom. This cultivar is however, extremely vigorous in the garden and quick to multiply. For this reason it is quite often offered for sale, sometimes unidentified and without a name.
often incorrectly listed as 'The Giant' (and actually was labelled as The Giant at Hyde Hall!)

Thank you Gail, it seems my plant is not 'Giant'. It is good to know, and Colchicums are not always easy to identify (maybe the book will change that). I like the one I have, it is also vigorous and has quite big flower. Maybe that is why someone thought it was 'Giant'.

Tristan, your Colchicum lawn looks so natural and wonderful!

The picture of Colchicums in natural habitat, wow. My Colchicums are mostly hybrids, they are good in garden and grow well, but species look so special.

[Leena]

'Glory of Heemstede' is a good Colchicum at least in my garden:). I have it already growing in several places, here some pictures, and a close-up of the flower.

[Leena]

Two more Colchicums. 'Lilac Wonder' is not my favourite, it flops as soon as the flowers come up.
'Nancy Lindsay' is better (to stay up), and I should move it to more sunnier place, here it is in full shade.

[Yann]

Patience always pay, i was able to get seeds in 2015, 5 years laters i've got a gift, a very dark form of Colchicum stevenii.
I now apply amino acid at each watering, tiny bulbs set huge roots system that capture plenty of minerals.