''Crocus vernus'' (spring crocus, giant 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 ...

in Family

Iridaceae Iridaceae is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the irises, meaning rainbow, referring to its many colours. There are 66 accepted genera with a total of c. 2244 species worldwide (Christenhusz & Byng 2016). It include ...

, native to the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

, the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

, and 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 ...

. Its

cultivars A cultivar is a type of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and when Plant propagation, propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and st ...

and those of ''

Crocus flavus ''Crocus flavus'', known as yellow crocus, Dutch yellow crocus or snow crocus, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Crocus'' of the family Iridaceae. It grows wild on the slopes of Greece, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania and northw ...

'' (Dutch crocus) are used as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s. The Dutch crocuses are larger than the other cultivated crocus species (e.g., ''Crocus chrysanthus''). Depending on the year, ''Crocus vernus'' starts flowering about the same time or up to 2 weeks after ''

Crocus chrysanthus ''Crocus chrysanthus'', the snow crocus or golden crocus, is a species of flowering plant of the ''Crocus'' genus in the family Iridaceae. Native to the Balkans and Turkey, it bears vivid orange-yellow bowl-shaped flowers. It has smaller corms an ...

'' (snow crocus) starts flowering. Height: 4–6" (10–15 cm).

Taxonomy

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 ...

''vernus'' refers to both 'vernal' (spring) and 'crocus'.Dr. Peter Jarvis

Habitat

Within

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

, it can be found in grasslands, including churchyards and roadside verges. Inkpen crocus field

Cultivars

* ‘Flower Record’ (Blue) * 'Grand Maitre' (blue) * ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ (Glistening white with an interior, dark purple base) * ‘Pickwick’ (violet mauve, striped) * ‘Purpurea Grandiflora’ (deep purple) * ‘Queen of Blues’ (Ageratum-blue with paler margins and a dark base) * ‘Remembrance’ (dark blue and purple) * 'Silver Coral' (White, purple base) * ‘Vanguard’ (silvery blue/violet, light purple)

Synonyms

Several other spring blooming species, among others ''

'' Weston (Syn. ''Crocus aureus''), have been called 'Crocus vernus' by other authors.''Crocus vernus'' synonymy - Flora Europaea
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Gallery

File:Crocus vernalis.jpg, A ''Crocus vernus'' Cultivar File:Crocus group.jpg, Purple and white ''Crocus vernus'' File:Purple Garden Flower2.jpg File:Crocus vernus bgiu.jpg, Close up of the flower. File:Purple and white crocus vernus.jpg, Purple and white ''crocus vernus''.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile: ''Crocus vernus''Gardening:''Crocus vernus''
vernus Garden plants Flora of Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Iridaceae-stub