Nature never ceases to amaze us: one of these miracles is autumn colchicum, which is characterized by an unusual sequence of development. In the spring, leaves grow with seed pods that ripen by early summer, and the plant falls asleep. But the decoration of any flower - buds, bloom in the fall. How to grow a colchicum and care for it, we will tell further.
Description
Colchicum (colchicum) is a perennial bulbous plant of the Colchicum family. Under natural conditions, it grows in meadows and forest clearings in southeastern Europe, western Asia and Africa.
Did you know? Plants that adjust their life cycle to natural phenomena are called "ephemeroids".
There are about 160 species in the Colchicum genus, but only a few are grown in gardens: 
The life cycle of the colchicum deserves special attention. An adult, mature plant releases a bud from a tuber by the beginning of autumn. Moreover, the flower appears above the surface of the soil on a bare stem and, after flowering, fades and turns yellow already on the ground. The height of the flower during flowering is 15–20 cm.
Depending on the variety of colchicum, a different number of flowers may appear from one bulb, which are ordinary and terry. The color of the inflorescences also depends on the variety: white, purple, pink, purple, striped and chess. On rainy days, the flowers close and take the form of beautiful glasses. The plant blooms for 15–20 days, and this period depends on what the weather is like.
Important! In hot autumn, colchicum fades faster.
Frosts are not terrible for a flower: with their onset, it only lies on the ground.
The next stage of life begins already in April-May, when juicy, bright green wide leaves grow from the bulb, growing up to 30–40 cm. 
Moreover, if the flower was fertilized in autumn, a seed box will be noticeable between the leaves, which many unknowingly mistake for a bud. Seeds are formed from the ovary of a flower, which is located in the soil. Seeds ripen in late June - mid-July and scatter on the ground. In this case, the box becomes brown, and the leaves turn yellow and wither.
Reproduction methods
Three types of colchicum propagation are known: division of bulbs, daughter tubers and seed. Let's consider each of them:
Did you know? Experimentally (on rabbits and mice), the abortive properties of colchicum were proven.
cultivation
Colchicum is perfectly adapted to climatic conditions. middle lane RF. It is better to plant it in well-lit places. It is allowed to plant a plant in light partial shade.
Bulbs are planted in unprotected soil in late August - early September, although such dates are adjusted depending on the climatic specifics of the area. However, experts believe that the best period for planting colchicum is August. 
Important! Planting time is calculated in such a way that at least ten days pass from the day of planting to frost.
Colchicums grow on almost all soils, but those that have an acidity of pH 5–8 are preferable. Outside of these indicators, the plant will feel uncomfortable.
VIDEO: LANDING AND CARE OF A colchicum IN OPEN GROUND
In autumn, the flowerbed looks bare and dull, to match our mood. You can create a feeling of early spring by planting autumn colchicum. It is also called poisonous crocus for its resemblance to spring crocus and primrose.
The plant blooms in September, when most plants have a dormant period. Delicate, fragile flowers look very beautiful and impressive on the already bare ground.
General view of the plant
Colchicum or Colchicum is a bulbous plant with a height of 5 to 30 cm. The fact that the plant is perennial is a definite plus. Colchicum has an oblong bulb covered with dark brown scales with a beige center. In the spring, lanceolate leaves grow from the bulb, up to 30 cm long, bright green in color, which form a lush bush. Simultaneously with the growth of leaf blades, a stem grows with a three-chambered seed box, in which seeds brown with redness are formed. In early June, the seeds ripen and the box opens. If you need seeds, you must not miss the time of collection, as there is a high probability that the seeds will be on the ground or be blown away by the wind.
September is the time of colchicum flowering. You can become a witness to a magnificent spectacle - blooming colchicum flowers with snow lying around. After all, neither frost nor snow is an obstacle to its flowering.
The plant produces a stem about 25 cm tall with a funnel-shaped flower with a large (up to 10 cm) flower. From one bulb grows from 2 to 6 peduncles with flowers. The flower does not release leaves in autumn, so huge flowers on thin legs look very impressive. Colchicum flower petals are lanceolate various colors: from pure white to pink, from lilac to purple. Modern sciences of selection and genetics have presented new, terry, species and hybrids. For about 3 weeks they please with their flowering, after which it dries completely.
Periods of life of autumn colchicum
Colchicum refers to "ephemeroids", that is, to plants that adjust their growing seasons to specific weather conditions where they grow. Winter cold and summer heat are not the best weather conditions for the growing season. That's why it has such strange, at first glance, life cycles.
Colchicum awakens in early spring and releases a bundle of leathery, green leaves, with a seed pod in the center. At the very beginning of June, after the seeds ripen, the plant dries up, goes to rest. Colchicum blooms already in September, releasing a peduncle with a very pleasant smell.
Colchicum does not produce leaves during this period, the nutrition of the peduncle occurs due to the nutrients accumulated by the bulb. They accumulated during the spring vegetation of the leaves, in the cells of which photosynthesis took place and supplied the bulb with the substances necessary for nutrition. After 2-3 weeks of flowering, the colchicum plant dries up and goes to rest until spring.
Colchicum varieties
Colchicum cheerful
Low, with pale lilac flowers about 7 cm in size. Due to the fact that the bulbs produce up to 6 peduncles, and the plant has a small height, it is possible to create mini-carpets that look very picturesque in autumn time. A feature of these colchicums is the ability to open already formed buds during winter thaws.
Colchicum autumn
In spring, it produces bright green leaf blades 40 cm high. In early September, it forms a peduncle with a flower up to 7 cm in diameter. Traditional colors are white or light purple.
Colchicum autumn has a variety of decorative forms:
- Terry - low (up to 12 cm), has double purple flowers with a diameter of 5 cm;
- Beaconsfield - has bright purple flowers with a white center;
- Atropurpureum - with rich burgundy and purple flowers.
Colchicum splendid
This variety forms in early spring rosettes up to 50 cm high from wide (up to 6 cm), with wavy edges. Kinds:
- Water lily - forms double, bright pink flowers;
- Huxley - blooms in September, flowers with a pink-lilac tint, which changes to bright purple towards the edges;
- Dark red - has rich burgundy flowers with a light middle.
How to propagate autumn colchicum?
It can be propagated both generatively (by seeds) and vegetatively (with the help of children from the bulb).
seed propagation
Seed propagation is not popular due to the fact that the resulting plant will bloom in 6 years, since the bulb needs time to fully form. If you still decide on this or managed to get the desired variety, you need to sow the seeds immediately after they have been harvested. Seeds that have been stored for a certain time quickly lose their ability to germinate. Planting colchicum with seeds is usually practiced by those who want to get a lot at the same time. planting material, to create a specific composition in the future. For sowing seeds, it is necessary to choose a loose and fertilized area. Sow in spilled grooves, at a shallow depth.
Reproduction by children
This method is the easiest, if you had to propagate other bulbous plants, then it will not be difficult to propagate colchicum. You need to dig up colchicum bulbs at the very beginning of the dormant period - in mid-July. In the period when the leaves of the colchicum turned yellow and withered, and the seeds in the seed box were already ripe. Due to the fact that the bulbs are located deep in the ground (up to 30 cm), you need to be careful and careful when removing the bulb from the ground.
The next stage is the removal of old bulbs with dried leaves and cleaning from the ground, while we do not remove the scales that protect the baby. After washing in water, we disinfect the bulbs in a solution of potassium permanganate, followed by drying. Now you can lay in storage until planting time in a place with a temperature close to 24 ° C and dimmed lighting.
August is the best month for planting or transplanting colchicum bulbs, as the plant is in its dormant phase. When planting, the size of the bulb should be correlated with the planting depth. If the bulbs are large enough, the planting depth will be 12 to 15cm, with a distance of 20-25cm between the bulbs. Small bulbs are respectively planted at a shallower depth (6-8cm), with an interval of 10-12cm. The soil must be fertilized and loosened before planting.
Colchicum: planting and care
Colchicum autumn: care
The plant is unpretentious in care, and the use of the following tips will eliminate the appearance of unpleasant surprises.
Diseases and pests
The main disease is gray rot. Abundant, with an excess of watering, a very rainy summer, a plot in the shade with soil that does not dry out for a long time - these are the causes of the outbreak. If the plant is still sick, it is necessary to cut the plant to a healthy place and treat it with Kuproksat, Topaz or Champion fungicide. Preventive spraying with the same drugs will also be appropriate.
Slugs and snails are the main pests of colchicum. Metaldehyde or Metiocarb preparations will help get rid of them. Help and folk methods- laying out traps, sprinkling around the plant with lime, crushed egg shells or broken shells. Attention! Autumn colchicum plant is poisonous! In case of contact with the skin, redness, itching, burns may appear. All work on the care of the plant must be carried out with gloves. Rinse all used tools after use.
Colchicum (Colchicum), Colchicum, Autumn - one of the most famous bulbous, blooming in autumn period, which do not cause much trouble to its owners. Native to Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia, these bulbous plants are valued for their delightful goblet-shaped flowers in various shades of purple and pink, which are a delight to the eye every year and are easy to care for.
Some of them bloom in spring, others in autumn. During flowering, only colchicum flowers are visible, which resemble crocus flowers, only much larger. Colchicums have been known to people since ancient times. According to ancient Greek legend, the flower grew from drops of Prometheus' blood. Another legend tells of the miraculous reunion of the mother goddess and daughter thanks to Autumn. In Rus' they called him 'autumn girls', 'winterers', and the British - 'naked lady'.
Description of the plant Colchicum or Colchicum
Perennial beautiful plant from the Colchicum family. It is an ephemeroid - perennial herbaceous plants with a very short growing season. The stem is erect, bare, low, 10-30 cm long, depending on the species.
The root is oblong-oval in shape, covered with a brown-brown leathery sheath. Large bright green oblong-lanceolate leaves 25-30 cm long appear in early spring, simultaneously with fruits. They look like lily of the valley or wild garlic leaves. During the growing season, they must feed the bulb with nutrients.
The flowers are solitary, large, bell-shaped-funnel-shaped, with pointed or rounded petals that remain half-closed or open completely, showing brightly colored stamens. Coloring from white to pink-lilac and violet. Colchicums bloom in late summer or autumn for about 2 weeks. Bees and flies pollinate the flowers during this time. After flowering, the following spring, the fruit appears - a three-celled elliptical box. When the fruits ripen, the leaves die off (May-June).
On the territory of Russia, under natural conditions, they are distributed on the territory of the Caucasus, the Krasnodar Territory; in culture - in areas with a temperate climate.
Cultivation of colchicum: choice of place and rules of care
Autumn is surprisingly unpretentious to the conditions. Prefers moist and oily soil. Without a transplant, it can grow 5-6 years. If it has stopped blooming, this means that too many young daughter bulbs have formed in the nest and the plant should be planted. Usually it is placed in a sunny or shady place. Ideal for planting a place under garden trees.
In spring, colchicum leaves appear at a time when the trees do not provide much shade. The sun is enough for him. And with further opening of the leaves on the trees, the foliage no longer needs a lot of light, because. By this time he is already starting to fade. Land for planting should be light, loose, moderately nutritious. Watering is practically not required. In the spring, when the leaves develop, there is still enough spring moisture. The plant is dormant in summer. In autumn, they are watered carefully in the absence of rain, trying not to wet the flowers - when wet, they quickly lose their shape.
Feeding and watering colchicum
They are fed in the spring when the leaves appear with nitrogen fertilizers - this helps to form large and strong leaves, which in turn will enable the bulb to be nourished useful substances and accumulate strength for future flowering, and in the fall after flowering - complex fertilizer or add organic matter, followed by loosening.
Do not water in spring. The soil is quite moist after the snow melts. By the beginning of summer, the colchicum vegetation ends - the plant falls asleep. He does not need moisture at this time. When flowering, if there was no rain, it is watered once a week.
Planting and caring for colchicum
In general, the flower reproduces by division of nests or seeds. All work should be carried out with gloves - the plant is poisonous, touching it can cause skin burns.
The most productive way is reproduction by young bulbs
When to plant colchicum?
Colchicums, blooming in spring, are planted in early autumn, blooming in autumn - in August in an open sunny, wind-protected place. The soil for planting is prepared in advance - 6 liters of humus and 100 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. M are added. Planted at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other, after which the soil is moistened and mulched.
How to transplant colchicum, look at the video:
If the autumn plant has been growing with you for a long time, in the middle of summer you can disturb the landing site and carefully dig out the overgrown bushes. By this time, the old bulb usually dies off.
- After the plant has completely withered, dig the bulbs out of the ground, being careful not to cut them with a shovel.
- Dry for several weeks in a dark, dry place. Then clean them of dead leaves and roots.
- In August, separate the new corms from the main ones, soak for 5 minutes. in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water), dry slightly and plant in the ground at a previously prepared place at a distance of 20 cm from each other.
- During digging, phosphorus fertilizer and humus are introduced into the intended landing site.
- Planted, deepening down by 3 bulb diameters. After falling asleep with soil, the landing site is well shed and carefully mulched, preventing the formation of a crust on the soil. With early planting, plants from large bulbs can bloom as early as this autumn.
Growing colchicum from seeds
The seed method of reproduction is quite laborious:
- Flowers grown from seeds will bloom with proper care no earlier than after 6 years.
- Rare spring-flowering species are propagated by seeds. They are sown immediately after harvest because they quickly lose their germination.
- Pre-soaking in water or epin solution is required.
- The seeds bought in the store must be stratified (you should keep them in the refrigerator for several days, you can use a damp cloth).
- Seedlings will not appear all at the same time in the spring, some will take more than one year to germinate.
Care comes down to loosening and weeding. It remains only to look after and wait for the bulbs to grow. Flowering occurs in 6-7 years.
Pests and diseases of colchicum
The plant has all parts, so pests avoid it. During periods of heavy, prolonged rains, it can be affected by slugs. To avoid this, sprinkle the earth around with ash and loosen it. Remove weeds promptly. When planting, avoid places with stagnant moisture.
Useful properties of colchicum
Has been used successfully in the treatment various diseases. Self-treatment is strictly prohibited, because it is extremely poisonous. For medicines corms are used, on the basis of which ointments, tablets, tinctures, rubbing are made. They are used in the treatment of cancer, urolithiasis, as a local anesthetic for rheumatism and gout.
Types of colchicum with photo and description
Colchicum autumnale var. minus/autumnale var. minor
It grows in wet meadows and glades in warm regions of Europe, it is most common in cultivation among amateur flower growers. The rosette of leaves appears in early spring after the snow melts, simultaneously with the fruits. Plant height 35-40 cm. The lower internodes of the stems form a corm covered with leathery scales, on which there is a renewal bud. The old corm, exhausted by flowering, decomposes.
As the daughter bulb grows, the leaves give it nutrition and gradually die off. Colchicum falls asleep until autumn. They wake up with the beginning of autumn, releasing pink-lilac bell-shaped flowers 7 cm in diameter, 1-4 from one bulb. After a short time underground, the fruit and seeds develop, which will appear only next spring.
There are many decorative forms:
- variety ‘Roseum Plenum’ is distinguished by double flowers;
- snow-whitish with a bunch of large flowers;
- terry form very late blooming with lilac flowers 5 cm in diameter and a huge
the number of petals, flowering may continue after snowfall; - white densely double form, the flowers of which are similar to dahlia inflorescences;
- atropurpureum with purple or dark red flowers;
Colchicum Bornmuelleri Colchicum bornmuelleri flower photo
The homeland of this species is the mountains of Asia Minor, Iran. Looks like a miniature lily. The leaves are about 35 cm long. It blooms in autumn with pale lilac flowers with a light inner spot. Blooms from late September until frost. Likes well-lit places.
Colchicum Byzantine Colchicum buzantinum/autumnale var.majus/autumnale var.major
It grows in the warm-dimensional zones of the Mediterranean, in the south of Europe. The flowers are purple-pink, broadly oval, slightly larger than those of autumn. Very large corm 7 cm in diameter, irregular shape forms a bouquet of 10-12 buds. Leaves are folded-lanceolate, up to 30 cm long. Flowering from August until frost.
Colchicum splendid Colchicum speciosum
The most beloved of all. In the spring it produces leaves up to 50 cm high. It blooms in autumn and is the ancestor of modern varieties. Flowers solitary or in inflorescences of 1-3 pcs. large size with a long white tube and a cold lilac color of the corolla up to 15 cm in diameter.
- Turkish form with lilac goblet flowers;
- hellebore-leaved form with folded leaves and huge purple flowers;
- grade ‘Premier’ with pink flowers very late flowering;
- variety ‘Huxiey’ with large leaves and flowers that change color;
- variety ‘Waterlily’ with charming terry flowers of lilac tones;
- variety ‘Atrorubens’ with lilac-watercolor blurred to white color petals;
Colchicum Agrippa Colchicum agrippinum
It is pink with purple streaks or spots. It is characterized by tall leaves with a wavy margin, pink-purple flowers with a whitish tube, with charming orange-red strokes at the base of each stamen, blooming in late summer. It differs from others in unusual checkerboard spots on the petals.
Colchicum variegatum Colchicum variegatum
Looks like Agrippa's Colchicum. Its flowers are lilac with dark pink veins.
Colchicum Cilician Colchicum cilicicum
Colchicum Cilician Colchicum cilicicum Dammer flower photo
Height is about 60 cm. From one bulb at the time of flowering, 15-25 lilac-pink flowers with a white tubular core are produced. blooms late autumn when the first frosts start. Widespread in natural conditions in Turkey.
Colchicum yellow Colchicum luteum
It occurs on fine-earth and rocky slopes near melting glaciers, in the meadows of Kazakhstan, in the Western Tien Shan. It blooms from the moment the snow melts until early June. The corm is oblong, up to 33 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, with brown covering scales. A shortened stem with ribbon-like leaves emerging from the ground with the onset of flowering.
Flowers solitary up to 10 cm high with narrow linear golden-yellow tepals fused at the bottom into a long tube purple hue. The fruit is a box with three nests filled with seeds. Propagated by seeds. Frost resistant. Very rare plant- listed in the Red Book. Some have successfully taken root in the flower beds of flower growers.
Colchicum Regel or Kesselring Colchicum regelii, Colchicum kesselringii
Homeland - the foothills and mountains of Central Asia. Amazing in beauty and miniature. Up to 10 cm high with white flowers blooming with the advent of April. Perianths with a purple stripe. Leaves appear after flowering begins. Varieties with cream flowers and a characteristic purple stripe on the outer side of the petal are bred.
Colchicum Hungarian Colchicum hungaricum
Colchicum Hungarian Colchicum hungaricum photo
Found recently in the mountains of Croatia. It differs from its counterparts in expressive black stamens. Prefers placement in the open sun. In culture, it is successfully bred and selected in Latvia.
Colchicum triphyllum Colchicum triphyllum
It is found in Moldova, Crimea, Bulgaria, Romania. Up to 15 cm high. From one corm, up to 6 pink-lilac flowers of medium size bloom. It is recommended to place on the Alpine hills.
Colchicum szovitsii
Colchicum sovitsii Colchicum szovitsii flower photo
Grows in wet alpine meadows. Blooms in spring with white and pink flowers. Unpretentious and hardy, despite the external pampered appearance. Grows well in bright sunshine and does not require shading.
Colchicum bifolium Colchicum bifolium
Unusually delicate and fragile flowers grow on the slopes of the mountains of Armenia near the melting snows. Pink and lilac colors of the flowers predominate, the shape and color of which are highly variable. Not afraid of the first night frosts. Requires deep-worked, nutrient-rich, moist soil.
Colchicum is extremely popular among amateur flower growers, especially. It's nice to see a flock of delicately colored buds peeking out here and there among the withered foliage in late autumn. The plant is great for arranging curtains in trunk circles garden trees, for borders, in mixborders and flower beds as a foreground plant.
It looks great in isolated plantings on lawns, near the walls of courtyards and outbuildings. It surprisingly combines with any other garden flowers, because it blooms at a time when only green foliage and fallen leaves remain from other perennials, reviving the fading nature with delicate lilac-purple flowers. It looks attractive among hostas and other decorative leafy flower crops, decorating them with colorful flowers. Even the first frosts and light snow are not afraid of him.
Unusual look brave bouquets on light fallen snow. Anywhere in your backyard will create a nostalgic reminder of the passing summer. Having planted this plant once, you will admire the charming creation of nature for many years.
Colchicum autumn (colchicum, Colchicum) - unusual flower. Whole thickets of blooming colchicum ‘suddenly’ appear in the garden in September. Low bare stems (pedicels) with large pink, purple or white goblet flowers steadfastly hold on to the wind and coolness, and then disappear again into autumn oblivion. Kolhikum is unpretentious, perfectly tolerates frost and drought. Read about the life cycle of Colchicum, as well as planting, caring for and propagating this unusual autumn flower and see photos of Colchicums.
In the genus colchicum about 160 species, but only a few of them have been introduced into horticultural culture: Colchicum autumnale (autumn colchicum),C. speciosum (colchicum splendid),C. tenorei, C. agrippinum (Agrippa's colchicum), C. byzantinum (Byzantine colchicum), of which the last 3 are natural hybrids. Several ornamental varieties colchicum, the most beautiful of which is probably terry variety waterlily, see photo above.
The life cycle of the colchicum is very curious. Mature plants release a bud from the bulb (botanically, the colchicum rhizome is a corm) in late summer. In autumn, a bud on a bare pedicel appears above the ground and blooms, after which it withers and turns yellow on the ground. The height of the plant during flowering is only about 15-20 cm. The next signs of life are found by the colchicum already in mid-late spring, when juicy bright green wide belt-like leaves of the plant grow out of the ground, reaching 30-40 cm in height. If the flower was fertilized in autumn, then in the center, between the leaves of the plant, a colchicum seed box will be visible, which, due to inexperience, can be mistaken for a bud. Seeds are formed from the colchicum ovary, which is underground. In late June - mid-July, seed pods with seeds ripen and turn brown, and colchicum leaves turn yellow and wither (see photo). Seeds are scattered from mature seed pods. In culture, it is recommended to remove the testicles of colchicum in advance to prevent self-seeding. After the colchicum leaves dry up and the bulb comes to a dormant state, you can transplant plants.
Colchicum planting
Colchicums are planted in groups in a sunny or slightly shaded, partially protected area. For colchicum, any humus-rich and fertile soil is suitable. An important requirement for the site when planting colchicum- moist, but permeable soil, so that the colchicum bulbs do not rot when water stagnates. Date of planting and transplanting colchicum - July and early August, when the bulb is at rest. In cold regions, it is especially important not to delay planting / transplanting colchicum, so that the plants are well rooted before winter. IN landing pit when planting colchicum contribute. Colchicum corms are deepened when planted by 8-10 cm (larger bulbs are deeper). The distance between the bulbs is 15 cm.
Colchicum bulbs actively multiply underground and, as a result, the plantings thicken and become unnecessarily compacted. Colchicum plantations should be divided every 3-4 years, at the beginning of the dormant period, as soon as the leaves die. Colchicum propagation is best done vegetatively (rather than seeds), separating some of the bulbs and transplanting them to a new location.
All manipulations with colchicum should be carried out with garden gloves, because. All parts of the plant are poisonous!
Colchicum magnificent white (Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’)
Colchicum care
Never cut the withering colchicum leaves. As with other bulbous plants, colchicum leaves should turn yellow, wilt, and dry naturally. To camouflage ugly yellowing foliage, plant colchicum next to other perennials that will cover their leaves with their larger foliage.
In late autumn, mulch the colchicum planting site with a layer of rotted manure or garden compost 10-15 cm. In cold regions, it is better to cover the crocus a little for the winter. Best for winter shelter colchicum fit.
Colchicum is not afraid of disease, but plantings should be protected from.
Colchicum in the garden
Colchicum is planted in tree trunks small trees, among shrubs and perennials in rockeries. Colchicum also looks good in garden pots.
Did you know that there is only one type of colchicum that blooms not in autumn, but in early spring? This steppe kolchikum, or brandushka(Colchicum bulbocodium). A small but charming plant that blooms one of the first in the garden, literally 'from under the snow'. Brandushka comes from Central and Southern Europe and rightly belongs to the number
Colchicum is a beautiful, but very poisonous plant, and therefore its uncontrolled reproduction causes significant damage to agricultural grazing animals. When growing a flower, colchicum on its personal plot you also need to act carefully, work with gloves and prevent pollen from entering the eyes and respiratory tract.
Russian name for the plant colchicum ( Colchikum) , or wintering is given for an unusual rhythm of development. Unlike most bulbs, in spring, only leaves grow in many colchicum, and flowers appear in autumn, some of them literally before the first snow. And in the Middle Ages, in Latin, he was called "filius ante patrem", which means "son before father."
According to another version, the Latin name of the herb colchicum - Colchicum - comes from Colchis, where one of the species of this plant moved from the Mediterranean. According to ancient Greek myth, the daughter of the king of Colchis, Eeta Medea, with the help of which Jason obtained the golden fleece, was known as a sorceress who owned the secrets of poisons. Colchicum is highly poisonous: the action of its poison is compared with the action of arsenic. Thus, the name "kolchikum" is associated not only with the place of growth, but also with the occupations of the princess.
With a photo and description of the colchicum flower, as well as recommendations for its cultivation, you can find in this material.
What does a colchicum look like and where does a flower grow
Corm perennial in a vegetative state up to 30 cm high. The corm is conical, covered with dark brown, membranous scales.
Leaves are large, up to 30 cm long and 6 cm wide, bright green, with a slightly wavy edge, dying off by early summer. Many note that the colchicum looks like a crocus: its flowers are very large - up to 7 cm long - with a long white tube and lilac or lilac-pink corolla lobes. One corm forms up to 4 flowers. Blooms in September-October. Seeds ripen in late May-June. After seeding, the aerial part of the plant dies. Has a lot garden forms and varieties that differ in flower color (white, dark red, red, etc.), flower shape and degree of doubleness.
See what the colchicum flower looks like in these photos:
Colchicum is a light-loving mesophilic plant that prefers fine earth-gravelly soils and avoids stagnant moisture. In the western, more humid part of its range, Colchicum is a magnificent rateet from the lower mountainous to subalpine belt at an altitude of 150 to 2500 (rarely 3000) m above sea level.
Here, this species grows in beech, beech-chestnut and beech-hornbeam-maple forests, riverine alder forests, shrub thickets, clearings and forest edges in the belt of fir and spruce forests. It can grow strongly in various associations of secondary mid-mountain meadows.
When describing colchicum, it should be noted that massive thickets are characteristic of the following formations of the subalpine belt: park maple woodlands, tall grasses and subalpine meadows. Middle-mountain and high-mountain populations of colchicum (colchicum) in the western part of its range are usually spatially separated by a belt of dark coniferous fir forests, under the canopy of which this species does not occur. In the central and eastern parts of the range (in the Greater Caucasus and in Talysh), the distribution of Colchicum is limited to the upper forest and subalpine belts within the altitude range of 1200-3300 m. as well as in groups of depleted tall grasses, bracken thickets and in park plantings of oriental oak.
As you can see in the photo, the colchicum plant in forest glades, edges and under the canopy of beech forests is scattered, nowhere forming thickets:
In the eastern part of the range, forest and subalpine populations of Colchicum often come into contact with each other. Throughout the range and at all altitudinal levels, there is a distinctly pronounced focality in the distribution of Colchicum. It can be abundantly represented in various ecological and phytocenotic conditions of some mountain tracts, but completely absent in similar conditions in other closely spaced areas.
Look at the photo of the colchicum, the description of which is given on this page:
Colchicum magnificent: photo and description of the plant variety
A variety of this plant is the magnificent colchicum flower, the description of which is presented below.
Colchicum magnificent ( Colchicum speciosum stev., c. Liparochiadys woronow) - herbaceous perennial with large oblong corms, covered with dry dark brown leathery scales, which form a long tube at the top, covering the lower part of the shoot.
Corms are 3-5 cm long. Leafy shoots develop in spring and reach 25-40 cm in height. Leaves 4-5 (rarely 3 or 6), their blades are large, oval-oblong (18-25 cm long and 3.5-5 cm wide), obtuse at the apex; vagina long, closed; growing together they form a false stem.
When describing the magnificent colchicum, it is worth noting its large beautiful flowers. They are pink-purple, lilac-pink, less often almost white, odorless, bloom in autumn, 1-3 per plant. The limb of the perianth in the throat is glandular, with six broadly oval (5-6 cm long and 1.5-2.2 cm wide), obtuse lobes at the top; perianth tube reaches 25-40 cm in length, its diameter is 0.3-0.6 cm.
Pay attention to the photo - in the flower, the colchicum of this type of stamen is almost half as long as the limb leaves, with linear yellow anthers 8-12 mm long:
The style exceeds the stamens, it is thick, straight at the top, with a truncated stigma.
The fruit is a three-celled elliptical capsule 3-4 cm long. Seeds are round, brown, 2-3 mm in diameter. It blooms late in summer and autumn (depending on the height of the place of growth above sea level) - from the second half of August to early October. The duration of flowering of each population is 2-3 weeks.
As you can see in the photo, during the flowering period of the magnificent colchicum, the leaves are still undeveloped and hidden underground:
Leafy shoots and fruits appear on the soil surface in the spring of the next year (in April - May). Seeds ripen in late May - June - early July. After seeding, the aerial part of the plant dies. In summer (July - August), the corms are in a state of growth dormancy. The change of corms occurs annually: maternal corms are replaced by daughter ones by the end of the spring growing season (May - June).
Growing and breeding methods of colchicum
Most often, kolchikum is planted in open sunny places, but it also tolerates partial shading. It is grown on loose, fertile, moderately moist, light soils. Leaves are removed from the flower beds only after they have completely turned yellow. In summer (July-August), the plant is completely hidden in the soil, and its corms are at rest. Since all parts of the plant, and even the water in which the flowers stood, are poisonous, colchicum should be handled carefully and it is necessary to work with gloves!
Colchicum grows slowly, seated after the end of flowering once every 6–8 years. After flowering, ash is added to the planting sites.
There are two ways to propagate colchicum - by seeds and vegetatively. At vegetative reproduction clone nests are formed, in which 3-10 (sometimes up to 35) corms are concentrated, closely pressed to each other.
Daughter corms are planted in August to a depth of 8 to 20 cm, depending on its size. When seed propagation, fresh seeds are sown in June - July. Seedlings will appear next spring, and plants will flower in 5-9 years
This video shows how to grow colchicum:
In the forest belt of Abkhazia and neighboring regions of the Krasnodar Territory, colchicum plants inhabit, which differ from typical specimens of C. speciosum Stev. the shape of the corms (they are broadly rounded with a rather long coracoid process in the lower part) and the structure of the covering scales (they are dense, shiny, as if varnished).
Some researchers consider these plants a form of C. speciosum Stev., others distinguish them in independent view- white colchicum (C. liparochiadys Woronow).
The use of colchicum
In the modern medical literature, there are many reports of treatment with colchicine and colchamine. Usually, they write about pathologies that are difficult to treat: amyloidosis, periodic illness. Impressions from clinicians are positive, but along with optimistic assessments, the same refrain sounds everywhere - a toxic effect on various organs. Oncologists continue to actively study Colchicum.
Colchamine alkaloid is used in oncological practice for the treatment of endo- and exophytic forms of skin cancer of the 1st and 2nd stages, as well as in some forms of esophageal cancer and stomach cancer. In the pharmaceutical industry, fresh corms of Colchicum splendid have found application - they produce the drug kolhamin.
For the treatment of skin cancer, omaine ointment containing the alkaloid colhamine is used. For cancer of the esophagus and cancer of the stomach, colhamine tablets are prescribed orally.
Colchicum is used in ornamental gardening. The beauty of its flowers does not need advertising, it is all the more spectacular because it blooms in September - October, when all plants with bright colors have already faded.
Colchicum is harmful to many animals, especially to young animals. Goats and sheep are less sensitive to the poison of the plant, but the milk of animals that have eaten the plant is poisonous. In Italy, where there are many goats, and colchicum grows in many areas, cases of poisoning have often been noted.
IN medicinal purposes almost all parts of the plant were used, more often seeds, which, as later studies have shown, contain the largest number alkaloids. They tried to treat gout and rheumatism, bronchial asthma, jaundice, dropsy, diseases of the intestines and kidneys. Colchicum was also considered a preventive remedy against contagious diseases, especially from the plague. To do this, it was necessary to carry the bulb of the plant with you in your pocket.
