Crocus tommasinianus explained

Crocus tommasinianus, the woodland crocus, early crocus, or Tommasini's crocus, is a flower named after the botanist Muzio G. Spirito de Tommasini (1794-1879). It is native to Bulgaria, Hungary, Albania, and the former Yugoslavia.[1] It is often referred to as the early or snow crocus, but these terms are shared with several other species, although C. tommasinianus is amongst the first to bloom. Multiple plants are often called tommies in the horticultural trade.[2]

Description

It is a cormous perennial of the genus Crocus in the family Iridaceae with a lilac flower, and is one of the smaller of the cultivated species. It has slender flowers about 2- long, with white perianth tubes, petals (6) pale silvery lilac to reddish purple, while the outer petals may be overlaid with silver and darker tips. A variant, C. tommasinianus f. albus, is white. Its cultivars are used as ornamental plants. Height: 3inches

Habitat

The species is found growing around 1000 meters in woods and on shady hillsides, commonly on limestone with flowering occurring in January and February; the narrow leaves are fully developed by the time the purple flowers with white tubes blooms.[3]

Cultivation

It naturalizes easily earning an official recognition as a weed and is naturalized in the US state of Delaware.[4] It is often planted in large drifts in gardens and parks.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[5]

Cultivars

Examples:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.
  2. Web site: Tommie Crocus . 14 March 2016 . The Gardener's Apprentice . 24 January 2022.
  3. Book: Phillips, Roger. The Random House book of bulbs. 1989. Random House. Martyn Rix, Brian Mathew. 0-679-72756-6. New York. 19922564. 19.
  4. Serviss. Brett E.. Peck. James H.. Benjamin. Kristen R.. Crocus Flavus: A New Genus and Species of Non-Native Iridaceae for the Arkansas (U.s.a.) Flora . 2016. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 10. 2. 513–516. 44858594 . 1934-5259.
  5. Web site: Crocus tommasinianus . RHS Gardening . Royal Horticultural Society . 2020-04-17.