This page describes spring blooming Crocus species T-Z.
Crocus index - Fall Blooming Crocus A-H - Fall Blooming Crocus I-O - Fall Blooming Crocus P-Z - Spring Blooming Crocus A-I - Spring Blooming Crocus J-S
Crocus tommasinianus has lilac to purple flowers and is native to Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Hungary where it grows in woods and shady hillsides and blooms in winter. The plants below photographed by Kelly Irvin in the first three photos are naturalizing and growing well. The second is a close-up and the last a lighter colored clump. The last photo by Dell Sherk shows a sport that appeared in his garden and has extra petals, 8 or 9.
Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant' has larger and darker flowers and is extra vigorous. Photo taken March 2005 by Jay Yourch.
Crocus vernus is the species that many cultivars have been selected from by the Dutch.
Crocus vernus ssp. albiflorus is the spring flowering mountain plant of the Alps. It is smaller flowered and can be white, purple or striped. Three photos of plants growing in the wild near Wengen in the Swiss alps all photographed by Tony Goode. Showing some of the variation in this species. In the last picture there is a back to front bicoloured form which is a possible match for Jane McGary's mystery crocus.
Crocus vernus ssp. vernus is a spring flowering Crocus with a wide distribution in the mountains of central and eastern Europe where it is found growing in woodland and sometimes subalpine meadows. It has purple flowers. Photos #1-3 by Arnold Trachtenberg. Photo #4 by Jane McGary shows a rouge form in exchanged seeds. It has narrow petals with unusual white margins. It flowers very early for C. vernus (first week of February) and produces seedlings of similar appearance. Photo #5 by Tony Goode shows a form from the Balkans and populations further east with large rounded flowers with dark purple tips once known as Crocus heuffelianus. Photo #6 shows the plant from Ruksans named Crocus heuffelianus "Dark Eyes" was photographed by Arnold Trachtenberg.
Crocus versicolor from southern France and northwestern Italy grows on stony and grassy places and in open woodland. Flowers are white, purple or lilac with a yellow throat and darker stripes on the outside. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner taken January 2008.
Crocus vitellinus - the very first bulb to bloom in my garden this year is this winter-flowering species from Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. The particular plants shown here were purchased as bulbs from Paige Woodward's Pacific Rim Nursery and planted out last fall. Just 2 days after 24" (60 cm) of hardened snow and ice receded on the warm south side my house, this tiny species popped into bloom. The series of 5 photos were taken by Mark McDonough on March 22, 2003. The golden flowers have a pleasant sweet scent, and are brushed and speckled with brown on the exterior base of the tepals. Looking down on the flowers, they have a triangular countenance. The large glossy green leaves seen near the crocus bunch is Sternbergia lutea, which amazingly keeps its beautiful leaves even with an iceberg sitting on them all winter.
Crocus index - Fall Blooming Crocus A-H - Fall Blooming Crocus I-O - Fall Blooming Crocus P-Z - Spring Blooming Crocus A-I - Spring Blooming Crocus J-S