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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1 yearUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | White | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Colchicaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- TOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Colchicum are cormous perennials with usually coarse, broadly strap-shaped leaves which appear with or after the goblet-shaped flowers
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in a sunny position in deep, fertile soil that does not dry out. Intolerant of waterlogging. See bulb cultivation for more detailed advice
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown in containers in an open frame as soon as ripe, or by division, separating corms when they are dormant in summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Rock garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Low Maintenance
- Banks and slopes
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs
Diseases
May be susceptibe to colchicum smuts, grey moulds and tulip grey bulb rot
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.