Crocus korolkowii is a perennial ephemeroid plant that belongs to the Peony family. It is one of the most cold-hardy crocuses!
Appearance
The flowers appear immediately after the snow melts! They are elegant, glossy, yellow with a red or dark brown spot. They consist of six petals. The anther is orange. Flower size - 2-5 cm. The leaves are narrow-linear, grooved, in a basal rosette, about 5 cm long. The leaves are dark green. The leaves begin to grow from the bulb during flowering, and fully develop after flowering.
The potato-shaped bulbs are oblong-spherical, slightly flattened. The shell is membranous, thin-fibrous, forming a net. This crocus tolerates cold snowy winters and dry summers well. It grows in sun and partial shade, in well-drained soils. Flowering time - early April.
Planting
Planting. Soils for planting can be any, but they must be well-drained. Crocuses do not grow in acidic soils. Choose a sunny or partially shaded spot for planting. Crocuses look great in groups on borders, rockeries, and lawns. You can create intricate patterns with them. Crocus bulbs are planted from September to December. Prepare the soil for planting in advance. Loosen it to a depth of 30 cm, then add compost. Since bulbous plants are too sensitive to moisture, they can be planted in sand. To do this, dig a hole with a flat bottom and a size, for example, 5 cm wide and 30 cm long. Then pour a thin layer of sand, no more than 2 cm high, around the entire perimeter. Place the bulbs on top of the sand, with their pointed ends facing up. Then carefully cover the hole with soil, without tamping it down. The planting depth should be equal to two bulb heights. The planting distance between bulbs is 3 to 10 cm.
Care. Crocuses are undemanding in care. They do not need to be watered. They have enough moisture in the soil after the snow melts. Fresh manure is contraindicated for crocuses. Every 4-5 years, the crocus 'nests' need to be divided. If necessary, flowering crocuses can be transplanted (with a clod of earth).