Crocus sativus

The crocus is typically associated with the first sign of spring, but this autumn-blooming variety gets you ready for winter by making your garden look like a jewelry box all fall.

Introduced to Europe from the Middle East around 1800, this showy fall-blooming Crocus is the source of saffron, the quintessential seasoning for paella and other dishes from the Mediterranean and Asia. Each lilac-purple flower produces three red stigmas, which have been used for flavoring and coloring food since Roman times. Fall-blooming Crocus is compact and just a few inches tall, but what a show it produces! The flowers have a chalice shape and open wide, revealing darker blue veins, lively orange styles, and bright yellow anthers.

This crocus grows well in zones 3 to 8 and can tolerate the first freeze of the year. In fact, it may just be settling in for a nap when spring crocus begin to emerge.

The fall-blooming crocus can be planted in a garden or in a container. Bury it randomly throughout the lawn for an unexpected burst of color reminiscent of its native growth in the forests and along the hillsides of Turkey and parts of the Middle East.

The fall garden is always in need of some brilliant color, and we gardeners are always in need of another low-maintenance plant to carry us through the busy days of falling leaves and garden clean-up! Treat your landscape to Fall-blooming Crocus, and keep the color coming into the cooler weather!

A Tradition of Distinction

Since its founding in 1920, Wayside Gardens has brought the rarest and highest-quality plants to the garden market. Wayside was founded in 1920 by two acclaimed growers who came together to pursue their shared vision of marketing all high-end plants for the serious garden enthusiast. Originally located in Mentor, Ohio, Wayside Gardens swiftly grew a reputation for the highest-quality plants and the most sophisticated clientele. In 1975, Wayside was purchased by the Park Seed Company, and moved to Hodges, SC.  The company has flourished since then, growing to become an undisputed leader in rare and unique plant growing.

Unparalleled Selection

Wayside's horticulturists travel the world in search of new and unusual plant cultivars and proudly offer the garden industry’s most sophisticated selection of high quality and rare perennial plants, bulbs, trees, shrubs, roses, vines, and indoor plants. Beginning with ties to the Dutch family bulb business in Holland, our horticulturists have developed close relationships with perennial and bulb growers throughout the United States and Europe, providing access to many rare and unique garden treasures. Throughout our history we have had the pleasure of introducing numerous exotic foreign and domestic plant cultivars to the American garden market. The Wayside collection of new and exclusive plant products is so preeminent that the catalog has long been lauded in the industry and is even used as a reference work in horticultural schools.

Impeccable Quality and Value – We Guarantee It!

At Wayside Gardens, “pedigreed plants” and “root strength” have always been watchwords. The Wayside Gardens impeccable plant quality begins with selecting only the finest new product offerings with improved plant features and numerous advantages for our gardening customers. These improved plant selections are then grown to our exacting quality standards by garden industry professionals. This produces superior plants with well developed root systems and healthy, vigorous plant growth habits. That is why we proudly guarantee all Wayside Gardens' products to perform as advertised, being of superior quality, true to type, and shipped properly.

Larger Containers & Well Established Root Systems

We use larger containers and grow bigger plants than other nurseries, leading to greater root strength. Where appropriate, Wayside Gardens propagates our plants vegetatively rather than from seed, to ensure the plants possess the correct form and are true to variety, like a true double form, as opposed to the single or semi-double forms that may result from seed propagation. Because we employ only the finest and most technologically advanced plant growing methods, you can be confident in receiving healthy plants ready to burst forth in glorious growth in your garden.

Superlative Service

• Unique, well-established and vigorous growing plants offer greater value for your money than other nurseries.
• Dedicated to providing detailed plant care instruction and informative plant information to make your product selection and planting truly enjoyable.
• Trained horticulturists are on-call to offer you any help or advice you need on how to care for your plants.
• All Wayside plants are carefully packaged to ensure a safe arrival.
• Your plants will be shipped to you at the proper time for planting.
• Honored to be your first choice in horticulture.
• If your item has received our recommended care and still doesn't perform to your satisfaction, we will replace it free of charge or credit you the item’s cost.
• Wayside Gardens is committed to helping you make your gardening an exquisite experience.

Dig:

The first thing you want to do is pick your spot and dig the hole for your bulbs. Avoid places with standing water, as this could cause bulb rot. A good rule of thumb when planting is to dig down 3 times the height of the bulb, but you should follow the specific instructions for your bulb. Make sure to space out your bulbs to give your plants the right amount of room to grow later.

Drop:

Now put your bulbs in the ground, pointy side up. For fall planting, be sure to get the bulbs in before the first frost. For spring planting, the time varies by plant. Afterwards, cover the bulbs with soil and then water them in. This helps wake the bulbs up from dormancy and get them growing again.

Now you're Done!

Just sit back and wait, and in the spring your bulbs will sprout up and reward you with their beautiful blooms throughout the season. Growing flowers from Wayside bulbs really is that easy!


Videos courtesy of the Dig Drop Done Foundation.