What: Colchicum ‘The Giant’ is a hybrid colchicum have extra large vase-shaped flowers in autumn. The lavender-rose blooms have white at the base inside the petals. These magnificent flowers burst from the ground to provide a splash of brilliant color in early autumn. This enduring bulb has broad strappy and shiny green foliage in late winter through spring, but goes dormant for the summer. Then, before the leaves emerge again, the flowers push through the soil and bloom in late September to early October. Although commonly referred to as autumn crocus, Colchicums are not closely related to true crocus.
Where: Colchicums grows best in well-drained soil with full sun.
Size: The autumn-flowering bulbs grow to be 1 foot tall and 4 inches wide when mature.
Care: Strappy green leaves appear in winter and typical rainfall will usually be enough moisture to sustain the plant until they start to yellow in early summer. The bulbs are drought tolerant during the summer.
— Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks
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