Fall-blooming crocuses look nearly identical to their spring-
blooming cousins, so their sudden appearance in the autumn
garden often causes some puzzled double-takes. Several crocus
species bloom in fall, but one with especially large and showy
flowers is Crocus speciosus. It blooms in early to mid autumn,
producing cup-shaped blue-violet flowers with showy orange
styles in the center. Its grassy foliage emerges after the
flowers. Fall-blooming crocus multiply both from seed and corm
offsets and will naturalize under favorable growing conditions.
Grow them in rock gardens or perennial beds, or naturalize them
in the lawn. Common name: Fall-blooming crocus Botanical name:
Crocus speciosus Plant type: Bulb (corm) Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 4
to 6 inches • Sun: Full sun • Soil: Well-drained loam or sandy
loam • Moisture: Avoid watering during the summer when bulbs are
dormant. • Mulch: None • Pruning: None • Fertilizer: Work in
bonemeal or other phosphorus fertilizer before planting bulbs;
apply a balanced fertilizer