Colchicum Hybrids

Colchicum hybrids and cultivars are shown on this page.


Colchicum × agrippinum is a hybrid of Colchicum variegatum with some other species, perhaps Colchicum autumnale. Presumably the cross was made several times. 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 Colchicum × agrippinum, but its leaves are darker green (not glaucous) and more upright, though also undulate. Then next two photos were taken by John Lonsdale.

Colchicum × agrippinum, Jane McGaryColchicum × agrippinum, John LonsdaleColchicum × agrippinum, John Lonsdale

Colchicum 'Autumn Herald' Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg shows the purple stigma.

Colchicum 'Autumn Herald', Arnold Trachtenberg

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 in the first two photos is the typical broad-segmented clone. The crooked purple styles are the giveaway feature. This plant is sometimes named in the trade Colchicum autumnale 'Major'. The last three photos are a few views taken by Mark Wilcox in September of 2006 of the plant flowering in a garden in Washington, DC.

Colchicum byzantinum, Arnold TrachtenbergColchicum byzantinum, Arnold TrachtenbergColchicum byzantinum, Mark WilcoxColchicum byzantinum, Mark WilcoxColchicum byzantinum, Mark Wilcox

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

Colchicum 'Conquest', Arnold TrachtenbergColchicum 'Conquest', Arnold Trachtenberg

Colchicum 'Dick Trotter' Photo by Arnold Trachtenberg.

Colchicum 'Dick Trotter', Arnold Trachtenberg

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

Colchicum 'E.A. Bowles', Arnold Trachtenberg

Colchicum 'Harlequin' Photo by Jane McGary. This rather unique 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. The original name was 'Harlekijn'. 1988

Colchicum 'Harlequin', Jane McGary

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', Arnold TrachtenbergColchicum 'Innocence', John LonsdaleColchicum 'Innocence', John Lonsdale

Colchicum 'Lilac Wonder' This is a large commonly available hybrid, suspected to be the progeny of C. giganteum and C. bornmuelleri (both sometimes considered synonyms of C. speciosum). Tall, up to twelve inches, large purple flowers bloom in early Autumn. Corm/bulb is relatively large, about the size of a mandarin orange. This hybrid first appeared for sale before 1926.

Colchicum 'Lilac Wonder', Travis OwenColchicum 'Lilac Wonder', Travis Owen

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', Arnold TrachtenbergColchicum 'Princess Astrid', Arnold Trachtenberg

Colchicum 'Rosy Dawn' grows to 15 cm in height and has goblet-shaped lightly tessellated rosy-pink flowers. Photos by Arnold Trachtenberg.

Colchicum 'Rosy Dawn', Arnold TrachtenbergColchicum 'Rosy Dawn', Arnold Trachtenberg

Colchicum 'Waterlily' has large double lilac-pink flowers and is said to be a hybrid between Colchicum autumnale 'Alboplenum' and Colchicum speciosum 'Album'. Photos by Janos Agoston.

Colchicum 'Waterlily', Janos AgostonColchicum 'Waterlily', Janos AgostonColchicum 'Waterlily', Janos AgostonColchicum 'Waterlily', Janos Agoston

Colchicum index - Colchicum A-HColchicum I-RColchicum S-Z - Colchicum Hybrids – Androcymbium - Bulbocodium - Merendera


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