World wild flora contest - crocus

Hello everyone,

Long time no see! :P

I went on vacation in Venice so that's why I haven't been so active. I'll write a post about Venice, but until then I find a nice contest organized by @worldwildflora, and this is my entry: crocuses, flowers that enchant us with their beauty and gentleness. They are always a great joy for anyone who loves flowers.

Click here if you want to join too >>

The scientific name is "crocus", derived from the Greek name "kroki".

They are original from Europe and Asia, being appreciated for the beautiful flowers. They are also suitable for growing in pots, making it an ideal choice also for those who want to make combinations of several colors.

Crocus has over 80 species and many varieties, some of which bloom in spring, others in autumn. Depending on the variety of them, the flowers can be white, purple, yellow, even bicolor, with dots and ribbons.

When they bloom, they are a real delight for any person and they give joy to every garden.

The size of the plant: leaves up to 20 cm, and the flowers up to 10 cm.

How to cultivate them

Planting can be done at the end of summer or autumn. They resist at low winter temperatures.

The bulbs are planted in pits with depths of 5-7 cm and at distances between plants of 5 cm. The ground must be well drained, rich in nutrients. To grow harmoniously, they need a fertile soil combined with peat and a little sand.

The watering is done with moderate amounts of water. During growth and summer, watering can be done with larger amounts of water. In the winter, the bulbs which remain in the ground does not require watering.

If you want to plant crocus you should also know that they prefer semi-shady spaces.

Scientific classification

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Clade: Angiosperms
• Clade: Monocots
• Order: Asparagales
• Family: Iridaceae
• Subfamily: Crocoideae
• Genus: Crocus
• Type species: Crocus sativus
• Origin: North Africa, Middle East, central and southern Europe, Central Asia to western China.

Spring crocus

It is a medicinal herb with multiple health benefits. Contains fatty oils, phytosterol and is recommended for skin disorders, relieves wrinkles, giving elasticity and suppleness to the skin. You can prepare a natural remedy of 50 g of herb that is added to a cup of hot water. The petals can be combined with other flowers and plants to make aromas and health benefits.

Autumn crocus

It grows in mountain areas and seeds contain active substances with medicinal properties. Tea compresses can be applied to wounds as they have a disinfecting and healing effect.

These photos were taken with Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in Keukenhof Gardens - Netherlands.

Sources:
1; 2; 3; 4

Love,
@allesia