''Crocus chrysanthus'', the snow crocus or golden crocus, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

of the ''Crocus''

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Iridaceae.

Native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

and

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

, it bears vivid orange-yellow bowl-shaped flowers. It has smaller

corm A corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (perennation). The word ' ...

s and a smaller flower than the giant Dutch crocus (''

Crocus vernus ''Crocus vernus'' (spring crocus, giant crocus) is a species in Family Iridaceae, native to the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the Balkans. Its cultivars and those of ''Crocus flavus'' (Dutch crocus) are used as ornamental plants. The Dutch crocuses are ...

''), although it produces more flowers per corm than the latter. Its common name, "snow crocus", derives from its exceptionally early flowering period, blooming about two weeks before the giant crocus, and often emerging through the snow in late winter or early spring. The leaves are narrow with a silver central stripe. Height: . The Latin

specific 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 ...

''chrysanthus'' means "golden-flowered". Crocus 'Blue Pearl'05

Cultivars

''Crocus chrysanthus'' cultivars are selections from ''Crocus chrysanthus'' and hybrids of this species with several

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of ''

Crocus biflorus ''Crocus biflorus'', the silvery crocus or scotch crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Crocus'' of the family Iridaceae, native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, including Italy, the Balkans, Ukraine, Turkey, Caucasu ...

'' and ''Crocus aerius''. Yellow cultivars are selections of ''Crocus chrysanthus''. Blue and white cultivars are hybrids or selections close to ''Crocus biflorus''. An intensive hybridisation and selection programme was initiated by Jan Hoog (Van Tubergen nursery) and E.A. Bowles involving crosses between ''C. chrysanthus'' and a number of forms of ''C. biflorus''; the results with larger flowers and usually flower markings and colors were named. Several of their numerous selections are still available. Examples: * 'Advance': inside yellow, outside violet-blue * 'Ard Schenk': white with bronze throat * 'Blue Pearl': pale lavender or lobelia-blue with a bronze-yellow throat and base; rich blue tepal backs, paler within and with a yellow basal blotch * 'Blue Peter': midnight blue outside, palest blue within * 'Cream Beauty': creamy yellow with bronze throat * 'Goldilocks': butter yellow with bronze feathering * 'Ladykiller' Pale lilac-white interior and deep purple-violet exterior with white margins * 'Prince Claus': white, blue flash on exterior * 'Romance': inside creamy, outside blueish * 'Saturnus': yellow inside, dark purple outside * 'Skyline': inside light blue, outside bright blue * 'Snow Bunting': white inside, outside creamy white with lilac feathering; bronze throat * 'Zwanenburg Bronze': gold yellow, outside bronze Those cultivars marked have gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

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

*
The Plant Expert

RHS Plant Selector

Pacific Bulb Society

Missouri Botanical Garden
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1304577 chrysanthus Garden plants Flora of Southeastern Europe Plants described in 1841