Tuesday, February 24, 2009

CROCUS


Another reminder that Spring is on the way is when the Crocus start blooming. There are many species of Crocus but the types that are generally sold at your local nursery or garden centre are Crocus vernus. Crocus vernus (Dutch Crocus) come in many colours and combinations and slowly mutiply if given the opportunity.
One of the cleaverest ways I've seen them used is acturally planted in lawns (in cold climate areas). The flowers bloom before the first mowing and the blade like leaves blend in perfectly with any rye, blue, or fescue grass lawns. This look works best when the bulbs are planted spordically and in a unplanned way. When the Crocus flower the lawn will look like a short meadow in bloom.
Crocus are native to the Mediterranean area and are in the Iridaceae family (Iris family).


BOTANICAL WORDS:
pogonanthus - with bearded flowers
plants with this word - Geranium pogonanthus

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