About Crocus angustifolius Weston
Crocus angustifolius Weston is a herbaceous perennial geophyte that grows from a corm. The corm is globose, meaning it is round with a slight bulge in the middle, and covered in a coarsely reticulated tunic. This species produces narrow flowers that open into either a funnelform or radiate shape. The flowers are golden yellow, and their outer surfaces have glossy red-brown mottling and streaks. Flowers bloom at the same time that the grass-like leaves are present. This species is native to the Crimea, where it grows on hillsides, in juniper woods, and in scrub areas. Its natural flowering period falls between February and March. Crocus angustifolius is widely cultivated, and has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is winter hardy to USDA zone 5. Its cultivar 'Minor' has smaller, attractively darker flowers that bloom a little later than the standard species, and its leaves are also more upright.
