Autumn crocus or meadow saffron has a beauty that belies its deadliness. Autumn-flowering geophytes (bulbous plants and ilk) are uncommon compared to their spring-flowering counterparts; among bulbophiles and other gardeners, Colchicum autumnale provides an easily-grown counterpoint to the typical hues of autumn in temperate climates.
However, it is not without its danger. As is often the case with poisonous compounds, dose matters. Colchicine, present in species of Colchicum but primarily extracted from Colchicum autumnale, is an effective treatment for gout in extremely small doses. Too much colchicine (and one would not need to ingest a lot for this) leads to symptoms similar to arsenic poisoning (according to Wikipedia). Unlike arsenic, there is no known cure for poisoning by colchicine. Animals other than humans are also affected.
While easy enough to identify in the autumn by flowers, the spring foliage can sometimes be confused with edible plants such as ramps or ramsons. Therein lies the danger, particularly for foragers. Ramps and autumn crocus do not co-occur in the wild, with ramps being native to eastern North America. Unfortunately, autumn crocus and ramsons both have a broad distribution in Europe where they can inhabit similar environments like damp meadows, open woods, and riverbanks.
My husband’s aunt called these “Autumn Crocus,” and she bought a bulb each fall. She loved them because a bulb could be set on a windowsill and before long, an exquisite blossom would emerge — no soil, no water required — we only needed to pay attention. She would have loved these refreshing photos.
thanks will try this year No water no soil ? amazing.
we have these in our gardens in S. Maryland. They are a lovely golden yellow and blend with our autumn foliage.
I think that might be Sternbergia lutea, another autumn-flowering bulb.
I grow these in my Manhattan garden, and each year their glorious mauve blooms thrust out of the soil when nothing else is flowering. They are amazing.
Don’t Ramsons (Allium ursinum), similar in appearance to ramps, co-occur with autumn crocus in the wild in Europe?
Yikes, yes. I’ll make an edit to the entry.
These are fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing and making my morning so much better!
I have had these for years in my garden in Oregon. Fortunately I found out before attempting to harvest the pollen that despite similarity and overlapping in common names, these are NOT saffron crocus which is Crocus sativus. Different genus, different family, different order. The blossoms also look different, but the common names are confusing. It’s always a good idea to research these things. If it isn’t sold specifically as a food plant, be very careful.
What a treat to see these well known garden plants growing wild! I love the way the second photo places them in their habitat.