Colchicum species S through Z are found on this wiki page
Colchicum Hybrids – Colchicum A-H – Colchicum I-R – Colchicum index
Colchicum sanguicolle Photos by Jane McGary. This species, little known to cultivation, grows in the mountains of southwestern Turkey and is distinguished by the deep red prophyll (sheathing leaf) visible in one of the photos just above the soil surface. It grows among rocks and in short grass, but the largest colonies appear to be in duff just downhill and outside the drip line of large Cedrus libani (cedars). It is a medium-sized colchicum about 10 cm tall in flower.
Colchicum sibthorpii Many references say this is a synonym for Colchicum bivonae. Photos by Arnold Trachtenberg.
Colchicum speciosum is a fall blooming popular species native to Turkey and the Caucasus where it is found in meadows and light woodland. Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum speciosum 'Album' has huge pure white goblets tinged green in the throat and gets high praise as possibly one of the best autumn bulbs for the garden. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner of plants growing in a container in a raised bed with Babiana leaves showing. The last picture shows a bee rolling around in the flower.
Colchicum speciosum atrorubens is richly colored. Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum sp. was thought to be the sterile hybrid C. byzantinum, but is apparently not that species. One guess is that it could be C. cilicicum. These plants do set a few seeds sporadically. It is a strong grower, which multiplies fast with its large oval bulbs. Leaves are very large too, looking like a small Crinum. Photo by Angelo Porcelli.
Colchicum ssp. Photos by John Lonsdale of two unidentified species.
Colchicum szovitsii is a spring-flowering species native to the area of Turkey, Iran, and the Caucasus. Flowers may be pink or white. The photos show a pink form grown from wild-collected seed from Turkey and a white selection found by Janis Ruksans and named 'Tivi'. According to one description this species has dark anthers, but these plants have yellow anthers; nevertheless I am accepting the collectors' identifications for them. Photographed in early February in a bulb frame in Oregon. Photos by Jane McGary and John Lonsdale.
Colchicum szovitsii 'Snow White' Photo by John Lonsdale.
Colchicum szovitsii 'Vardaovit' Photos by Arnold Trachtenberg and John Lonsdale.
Colchicum tenorii - is a fall blooming species from Italy. Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum umbrosum - is a small species from Turkey and Romania with white or pale pink flowers that blooms without leaves. Photos by Arnold Trachtenberg
Colchicum variegatum from southern Greece and southwestern Turkey is regarded as a rather tender species. It is distinguished by its very strong tessellation (checkerboard marking) and is the parent of C. x agrippinum, which is hardier. These two photos from Jane McGary show (1) a bulb purchased from a European source and (2) a plant grown from seed purchased from the Archibalds.
Colchicum Hybrids – Colchicum A-H – Colchicum I-R – Colchicum index
Return to the PBS wiki Photographs And Information page