Colchicum autumnale ‘Nancy Lindsay’ bloomed quite a while ago. She only threw forth two exquisite blossoms, and I somehow didn’t get out there with a camera in time. It would have been worth it, for Russell Stafford rightly describes her as having “abundant, bright-pink, purple-stemmed blooms . . . in September and October. Vigorous.” Yes, she has the elusive purple perianth tube that I have long sought in C. speciosum without success thus far. Bloom time was mid-September, after ‘Autumn Herald’ and the two ‘Queens,’ but before C. byzantinum, if I remember correctly. But bloom times seemed to be off this year, so don’t hold me to it. She certainly didn’t bloom into October, but if she turns out to be as abundant and vigorous as described, I have hope for the future. Get this one if you can, and plant it where you will be sure not to miss it.
She must be of fairly recent origin, as Bowles makes no mention of her, not even under the spurious (according to Bryan) name of C. pannonicum.
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. • USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level: intermediate • Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY native plants, gardening with/for children
