According to John Bryan in Bulbs, “the plant usually grown under this name is a form of C. speciosum with yellow anthers.” Elsewhere he also says it has a white throat. I’ve looked at the photo of the “true” C. bornmuelleri, and I definitely have the impostor. It has yellow anthers and a white throat, and it’s big as the “triplets” I described previously.
The firm I bought it from describes it having “huge, fragrant, vase-like flowers on a green base . . . As the flowers mature, the pink coloration in the petals becomes very prominent, like a blush.” There’s always someone throwing a wrench in the monkeyworks! Huge, yes; fragrant, no; vase-like, well, that depends on the vase; green base, yes, if by base you mean perianth tube. And it’s true the color is very prominent, but like a blush? My first thought is blush the make-up, which is usually a very transparent hint of color–not what I’d call prominent. But just now I thought, “Oh, blush as in ‘I’m blushing’!” Yeah, on me that’s certainly prominent. But it’s not that color. On my plants it’s just a really concentrated form of the color on the Triplets–mauve, I think it’s called.
Whatever the name, whatever the color, I highly recommend this colchicum. It multiplies quickly, producing large, vivid blossoms that stand up well. I can easily see planting this in grass or in front of shrubs without its getting lost.
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
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, Cynthia, they do have more vibrant color than a lot of the colchicums I’ve discussed thus far. And don’t be too sure that you can’t grow colchicums in Texas. There are some colchicums that I can’t grow because it’s too cold here. Erica Bess Duncan lives in Texas, too, and on her garden blog (http://gardenspot.typepad.com/gardenspot/2003/10/crocus_question.html) recommends the book Garden Bulbs for the South by Scott Ogden. Perhaps you will find some colchicums listed in this book. If not, go to Odyssey Bulbs and ask Russell Stafford for recommendations.
Kathy, these colchicum are the prettiest yet! I don’t know if it is just this picture as opposed to the previous close-ups or that they just seem to have more vibrant color!?
Sure wish that they would grow down in the hot, dry lands of TX.
Thanks again for the TX link that you sent me.