Crocus vernus "Grand Maitre" is one of the late-flowering crocuses. You can't take your eyes off these beautiful flowers! They are large, bell-funnel-shaped, colored in lavender-blue with a slight purple tint. The branched stamens, peeking out from the corolla, are orange. They create a bright accent and attract attention.
The leaves are shiny, narrow, dark green, with a silvery-white mark in the middle of the leaf. They begin to grow from the bulb during flowering and fully develop after flowering. The corms are large and flattened. They usually produce 2 flowers.
This variety grows up to 8-15 cm in height and up to 7 cm in width. It is ideal for growing in open ground and containers. It thrives in sun and partial shade. It looks great in compositions with early-flowering yellow daffodils (for example, varieties 'Trena' and 'Tete-a-Tete'). Flowering time is mid-spring.
Planting. Soils for planting can be any, but they must be well-drained. Crocuses do not grow in acidic soils. Choose a sunny or partial shade location for planting. Crocuses look great in groups in borders, on rockeries, on lawns. You can create intricate patterns with them. Crocus bulbs are planted in August-September. 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 around the entire perimeter, no more than 2 cm high. Place the bulbs on top of the sand, with pointed ends up. Then carefully fill the hole with earth, without tamping it. 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 watering. They get enough moisture in the soil after the snow melts. Fresh manure is contraindicated for crocuses. Every 4-5 years, crocus "nests" need to be divided. If necessary, flowering crocuses can be transplanted (with a root ball).