Growing Crocuses

Here’s what we’re able to piece together on this. It is not a crocus. Crow Poison is the common name of a bulb (Nothoscordum bivalve) of the Onion (Alliaceae) family (formerly of the Lily (Liliaceae) family) that resembles a wild onion and is often called “false garlic” but is neither garlic nor onion in scent or taste. It resembles a snow drop but is taller and has move foliage and the flower has a yellow center. It is found from Arizona to the East Coast, including Texas, of course. 

There is another plant that is called crow poison and Oceola’s plume (Stenenthium desum); it produces tiny flowers on a stalk; it does not resemble a crocus or the bulb above. 

As for the term “crow poison,” apparently, long ago, people crushed the the pulp of the crow poison bulb and spread it on the feathers on the heads of chickens. If a crow or hawk killed the chicken and ate the pulp, the predator would die. Thus, crow poison. 

We know of no creeping plant that flowers with crocus. But periwinkle, aka myrtle, is a ground cover that keeps its foliage year round and produces blue flowers later in season.

If you want the crocus in your lawn, then don’t use weed-killers. Here are some good tips on this topic!

Do/did you fertilize the area they were/are planted in? High nitrogen fertilizer encourages leaf production at the expense of all else. These bulbs need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. Did/do they get it? Is the area dry? Bulbs need moisture (although not pools of it); failure to thrive could be due to poor drainage. There may be other factors but these are relatively common ones.

Yes, you can plant crocuses in a grassy lawn for a more natural look. Crocuses are an early bloomer, and since the foliage only lasts a few weeks after the flowers fade, mowing shouldn’t be an issue.

As for your second question: Yes, you can grow other flowers near crocuses without problems. However, you may need to refresh the soil in the pots in the fall to remove any dead material and prevent overcrowding.

The best time to divide or thin crocuses is after their foliage has died back naturally. At this point in time, they have finished storing energy for next year’s bloom. 

Tip: Dig up the crocuses before you remove any of their foliage, as it will be easier to see where—and how many—there are. Cut off the foliage before replanting. 

As we indicate above, Ideally, plant crocus corms 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected and when soils are below 60°F(16°C). This is usually during September and October in the North, and October and November in the South.

You purchased (what is in all likelihood) a forced bulb. Growers have ways of hastening plant/bulb maturity on a schedule that is slightly different from that of mother nature because we love to see blooms in the spring! Most forced bulbs can be planted and naturalized into an environment. See above (or below in another question) for guidance on what to do with it after the bloom fades, as you wait for the cold weather of early winter to plant it.

Hi Moe,

You planted the crocuses with plenty of space. There’s no need to change a thing!

At that location, you are just outside of the recommended planting range for Crocus (see the USDA Planting Zones), but it may be worthwhile trying a few bulbs in a cool spot on your property anyway. Typically, though, Florida does not get cold enough for long enough for the bulbs to have an appropriate cooling period. We would recommend contacting your local Cooperative Extension Service, which will be able to give you localized gardening advice.

Apparently the yellow blooming crocuses tend to flower first—but only by a few days to a week. That’s the suggestion of this study of bulbs for Kentucky gardeners: http://www.uky.edu/hort/sites/www.uky.edu.hort/files/documents/5204sprin... see the chart on page 3, and not the March dates at the top. Presumably those dates would vary in other gardening zones.

We hope this help…

Sometimes plants just do not do well, Joy (sorry today…). You might consider some of the key differences between your property and that of your neighbors. Crocuses do not like too much water (was your compost/peat moss mix retaining it?). Crocus tommasinianus seems to be highly reliable—and squirrel resistant. (Did you consider that: could squirrels be your nemesis??) Some folks have best luck with little sunlight, water, or nutrients. Certainly if you plant them in a lawn or tidy your plant bed by mowing or cutting off the foliage, you are not helping the crocuses; they need the foliage to thrive.

As a last resort—or best next step—you might ask your neighbors what type they have and what their “secret” to success is. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll dig up one or two corms and give you a couple to try in your conditions.

We hope this helps, even a little.