Colchicum Hybrids

Colchicum hybrids and cultivars are shown on this page.


Colchicum A-H Colchicum I-R - Colchicum S-ZColchicum index


Colchicum x agrippinum The form in the first picture taken by Jane McGary was found in an old garden near Portland, Oregon, where it had been growing since probably the 1940s. The corms had been covered by almost 18 inches of silt through repeated flooding but were still growing. Moved to happier conditions, it has flowers indistinguishable from Dutch commercial stock of C. x agrippinum, but its leaves are darker green (not glaucous) and more upright, though also undulate. C. x agrippinum is a hybrid of Colchicum variegatum with some other species, perhaps Colchicum autumnale. Presumably the cross was made several times, resulting in the variation noted. Then next two photos were taken by John Lonsdale.
Colchicum x agrippinumColchicum x agrippinum Colchicum agrippinum


Colchicum 'Autumn Herald' Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg Note purple stigma
Colchicum 'Autumn Herald'


Colchicum byzantinum is described as a sterile hybrid, found sometimes in old gardens, sent from Constantinople to Vienna in 1588 and probably derived from Colchicum cilicicum. The plant photographed by Arnold Trachtenberg is the typical broad-segmented clone. The crooked purple styles are the giveaway feature. This plant is sometimes named in the trade C. autumnale 'Major'.
Colchicum byzantinum Colchicum byzantinum

Here are a few views taken in September of 2006 of the plant flowering in a garden in Washington, DC, taken by Mark Wilcox.
Colchicum byzantinum Colchicum byzantinum Colchicum byzantinum


Colchicum 'Conquest' - Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg. This plant is now considered to be Colchicum 'Glory of Heemstede'
Colchicum 'Conquest' Colchicum 'Conquest'


Colchicum 'Dick Trotter' Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum 'Dick Trotter'


Colchicum 'E.A. Bowles' Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum 'E.A. Bowles'


Colchicum 'Harlequin' Photo by Jane McGary. This rather ugly sport has the lavender color restricted to the lower part of the tepals, which are folded inward where white. The flowers do not vary from year to year, suggesting that this pattern is not the result of virus infection.
Colchicum 'Harlequin'


Colchicum 'Innocence' This plant was grown as Colchicum byzantinum 'Album' but that name is apparently not valid. It is now being called 'Innocence' at the National Collection in Norfolk England. Photos by Arnold Trachtenberg and John Lonsdale.
Colchicum 'Innocence'. Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg. Colchicum 'Innocence'. Photo by JohnLonsdale. Colchicum 'Innocence'. Photo by JohnLonsdale.


Colchicum 'Princess Astrid' - Photos of blooming plant and a view deep into the interior of a bloom where ants are feeding upon nectaries at the base of petals by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum 'Princess Astrid' Colchicum 'Princess Astrid'


Colchicum 'Rosy Dawn' Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum 'Rosy Dawn' Colchicum 'Rosy Dawn'


Colchicum A-HColchicum I-R - Colchicum S-Z Colchicum index


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Page last modified on March 03, 2009, at 11:33 AM