How to identify Crocuses (Crocus)

Photo By Corey Farwell , used under CC-BY /Cropped and compressed from original

How to identify Crocuses (Crocus)

Crocuses is characterized by its showy cup-shaped flowers that blossom in early spring, displaying a variety of hues including purple, yellow, and white. Each flower, typically around 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) in height, emerges from a bulb-like structure known as a corm, forming a delicate bloom with six petal-like tepals. The foliage is narrow, grass-like, and may feature a silvery stripe running centrally along the blade. The plants are compact, growing low to the ground, and they often appear in clusters.

Lifespan: Perennial

Leaf Type: Semi-evergreen

Quickly Identify Crocuses

Cup-shaped flowers in purple, yellow, and white hues, 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) tall.

Linear leaves with silver-white central stripe, less than 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide.

Low-growing, compact plants with grass-like foliage and clustered growth habit.

Detailed Traits of Crocuses

Leaf Features

The leaves of crocuses are linear, narrow, and typically less than 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide. Each leaf is distinguished by a pale silver-white central stripe running longitudinally. They are a vivid green in color, smooth in texture, and exhibit parallel venation with no pronounced veins. The slender leaves grow outward from the base, often extending a few inches (about 7-15 cm) in length, contributing to a neat, grass-like appearance that is characteristic of crocuses.

Learn About the Leaf Glossary

Flower Features

Crocuses blooms in early spring, from February to March. The flowers range in color from white to various shades of purple, and can also be striped. They are salverform-campanulate in shape, measuring approximately 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches (1.3 to 3.8 cm) in diameter. A narrow perianth tube emerges from a sheath, expanding into six lobes which are arranged in two overlapping whorls. The lobes are obtuse, and the styles are 3-lobed, yellow-orange, and fimbriate at the tips.

Learn About the Flower Glossary

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