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''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'', the Chilean blue crocus, is a flowering perennial plant that is native to Chile, growing at elevation on dry, stony slopes in the
''T. cyanocrocus'' is hardy in USDA Zones 9-10; in essentially frost-free mild climate areas (e.g. Northern New Zealand, Ireland, much of northern California) ''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' may be successfully grown in open rock gardens exposed to the weather. However, tecophilaea is somewhat frost-tender and cannot withstand hard freezes. Where winter freezes may occur, such as the Pacific Northwest, tecophilaea is best grown in containers that can be protected from very cold weather. Nonetheless, as long as the temperature does not drop much below freezing, tecophilaea is healthier for being kept in the open during winter.
Tecohilaea grows best in a well-drained, circum-neutral (pH 6-7) soil. The corms go dormant during summer, and water should be entirely withheld once the foliage fades after the springtime period of active growth. However, tecophilaea does not benefit from the summer baking that most tulips and many crocuses benefit from. On the contrary, tecophilaea prefers dry, but rather cool soil in summer. Putting the pots in which it is grown in the shade, out of direct sun, is desirable. Water should be withheld until new growth appears in the fall as the soil cools, then increased. In climates with heavy winter rains such as the Pacific Northwest, tecophilaea is best kept out of the rain.
When active growth begins in the fall, tecophilaea will benefit from being fed with a dilute solution of a low-nitrogen fertilizer once every week or two. Foliar feeding with a spray of fertilizer solution is also practical, and has the advantage that the fertilizer will not alter the soil chemistry.
The plant is typically propagated through corm offsets. Seed can be obtained by careful hand pollination of the flowers, but seedlings reach flowering size very slowly.
The foliage of tecophilaea is very scanty and the corms are weakened when the foliage is damaged. Tecophilaea must be diligently protected against pests that may eat the foliage: caterpillars, slugs, and deer, for example.
''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' and the cultivar 'Leichtlinii' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's
Andes mountains
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the List of mountain ranges#Mountain ranges by length, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range i ...
. Although it had survived in cultivation due to its use as a greenhouse and landscape plant, it was believed to be extinct in the wild due to overcollecting, overgrazing, and general destruction of habitat, until it was rediscovered in 2001.
Description
Both thespecific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''cyanocrocus'' and the common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
"Chilean blue crocus" highlight the plant's passing resemblance to the true crocus. However, the two plants are not closely related, and there is no blue crocus, either in the wild or in cultivation.
In its native habitat, the plant blooms from October to November, which is springtime in the Southern Hemisphere. In northern climates, it flowers from February to March.
''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' grows on stems up to tall, with 1-3 linear fleshy leaves. The single flowers are approximately across, goblet shaped, and are an unusual deep gentian blue color, with a whitish center. The root is a nearly spherical corm with a fibrous cover.
Taxonomy
The genus ''Tecophilaea'' was named after Tecofila Billiotti, botanical artist and daughter of the botanistLuigi Aloysius Colla
Luigi Aloysius Colla (30 April 1766 – 23 December 1848) was an Italian botanist of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. He was a member of the Provisional Government of Savoy from December 12, 1798, to April 2, 1799, taking his turn as chair ...
of Turin. There are only two species in the genus, the other being ''Tecophilaea violiflora''. The genus was originally placed in the family Amaryllidaceae
The Amaryllidaceae are a family of herbaceous, mainly perennial and bulbous (rarely rhizomatous) flowering plants in the monocot order Asparagales. The family takes its name from the genus ''Amaryllis'' and is commonly known as the amaryllis fa ...
, eventually being split from that family and becoming the type for the family Tecophilaeaceae.
There are a number of cultivars of tecophilaea. Two of these, 'Violacea' with deep purple flowers, and 'Leichtlinii' with white centers to the flowers, have been in cultivation for many years and are well known among bulb fanciers. By crossing these with each other and with the solid blue type form, other cultivars such as 'Storm Cloud' have been developed in recent years.
The ''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' cultivar 'Violacea' should not be confused with the species ''Tecophilaea violiflora''.
Cultivation
''T. cyanocrocus'' is hardy in USDA Zones 9-10; in essentially frost-free mild climate areas (e.g. Northern New Zealand, Ireland, much of northern California) ''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' may be successfully grown in open rock gardens exposed to the weather. However, tecophilaea is somewhat frost-tender and cannot withstand hard freezes. Where winter freezes may occur, such as the Pacific Northwest, tecophilaea is best grown in containers that can be protected from very cold weather. Nonetheless, as long as the temperature does not drop much below freezing, tecophilaea is healthier for being kept in the open during winter.
Tecohilaea grows best in a well-drained, circum-neutral (pH 6-7) soil. The corms go dormant during summer, and water should be entirely withheld once the foliage fades after the springtime period of active growth. However, tecophilaea does not benefit from the summer baking that most tulips and many crocuses benefit from. On the contrary, tecophilaea prefers dry, but rather cool soil in summer. Putting the pots in which it is grown in the shade, out of direct sun, is desirable. Water should be withheld until new growth appears in the fall as the soil cools, then increased. In climates with heavy winter rains such as the Pacific Northwest, tecophilaea is best kept out of the rain.
When active growth begins in the fall, tecophilaea will benefit from being fed with a dilute solution of a low-nitrogen fertilizer once every week or two. Foliar feeding with a spray of fertilizer solution is also practical, and has the advantage that the fertilizer will not alter the soil chemistry.
The plant is typically propagated through corm offsets. Seed can be obtained by careful hand pollination of the flowers, but seedlings reach flowering size very slowly.
The foliage of tecophilaea is very scanty and the corms are weakened when the foliage is damaged. Tecophilaea must be diligently protected against pests that may eat the foliage: caterpillars, slugs, and deer, for example.
''Tecophilaea cyanocrocus'' and the cultivar 'Leichtlinii' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
.
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7692787 Endemic flora of Chile Flora of the Andes Tecophilaeaceae Plants described in 1862