Maybe this isn’t weird but it seems weird to me. The bulbs arrived last week and I planted them on November 3. It hasn’t even been a week. Today, one of them is blooming!
Above is with the saffron strands, which I snippped out. Below is without the strands and later in the day after it had opened up more.
I should have used the macro setting but it was windy and they were blowing so it was hard to get a crisp picture.
The funny thing is that I couldn’t remember how long it took them to bloom but figured it wouldn’t be long. I planted them on the 3rd and on the 5th or 6th, Vince came in and said “You’re not going to believe this but one of your crocus is blooming.” I said NO, grabbed my camera and went out. It had just sent up a shoot – no bloom. I said “Is this what you’re talking about?” Yes! No . . not a bloom but it won’t be long.
I found a blog post where in September, 2013 I planted 50 crocus bulbs in Texas. As far as I can remember, not a one of them ever came up. In that post, I mentioned having had them in Kentucky and, this little blurb explains when the ones in Kentucky bloomed and why they bloomed in the winter.
Seeing those little snow crocus poke their pretty heads through the snow each spring was my signal that winter was coming to an end and soon I could begin gardening again. The saffron crocus, though just as pretty as the snow crocus, blooms in the fall.
Teri says
How do you treat the saffron strands after you count them out.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I lay them out on a paper towel and let them dry, then put them in a very small glass jar til I need to use them.
Cindy F says
That is amazing! I wonder how many will come up.
Kay says
I had the same thing happen in zone 5, where autumn blooming crocuses (distinct from snow crocus) like saffron crocus are not even meant to do very well! The first year, I had about ten of them bloom before it was too cold and they went dormant. I’m not sure what the upper zones are for saffron crocus, but I know they need a period of cold to bloom, and sometimes can bloom first year this way. There is a very interesting study about their life cycle with an illustrated diagram if you Google “saffron crocus life cycle” that helped me to understand why and when they bloom (or don’t).
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I will do that and see what I can find. Thanks!
The problem with everything we planted in TX was that the soil was very high pH. The water was very high pH and it so rarely rained that the only water they got was the high pH water. It was hard to grow anything there.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I think the saffron crocus can be left in the ground year round in zones 6 through 9.
Kay says
Also, I’ve had the best luck plucking the threads out rather than cutting them–that way you get every precious bit and don’t leave any behind in the flower.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I have tweezer looking things that I hold on to the strand and then there’s a sharp edge that cuts. I bought those in Kentucky so it’s been 15+ years.