Crocus chrysanthus var. Blue Bird

Crocuses or is it Croci?

I love it when the crocuses bloom in our yard and fill the beds with Easter colors. I’m not too partial to the common gaudy large crocuses in purple and white also called Dutch crocus or Crocus vernus. The rain knocks them down and destroys them here in Seattle.

I much prefer the Crocus chrysanthus hybrids or snow crocus. They are smaller and more resilient in the rain. We have three that come back every year for over 10 years; the yellow and maroon stripped ‘Gypsy Girl’, the white with lilac stripes and tips ‘Snowbunting’ and magical violet-blue with white margins ‘Blue Bird’. I also like another spring blooming species – Crocus tommasinianus.

Crocus are native to the European mediteranean countries – Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Italy and Greece. We have seen the fall crocus in Italy but never the Spring crocus. Another dream on my list – hunting for wild spring croci.

A great source is McClure and Zimmerman

Crocus chrysanthus var. Snowbunting

Crocus chrysanthus var. Blue Bird

Crocus chrysanthus var. Gypsy girl