Products › Autumn planted bulbs to flower in the Spring › Crocus › Crocus tommasinianus

C.tommasinianus was named after M.G.S. de Tommasini, (1794-1879) a magistrate and botanist in Trieste.  It is native to Southern Hungary, NW Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it is found in deciduous woods. It seeds easily and will naturalise readily. The flowers may not come true from seed if other tommasinianus varieties are in the vicinity but they will still be a pleasure, and the cormlets do come true.  The flower varies from pale silvery lilac to lavender pink, with a long white throat and narrow dark green leaves always fully developed when it flowers.  Even when closed the sturdy stems hold the flower heads up above their leaves.  It will flower early in spring, and is attractive to insects, so long as they have become active.  Pale silvery lilac colours in February/March 3"-4" (7-10cm) tall.

Planting instructions

While needing a well-drained position and loving the sun, it is happy in more shade than most crocuses. Somewhat difficult to plant in grass due to its small size they will nevertheless seed freely into late mown grass. Its capacity for spreading means it may not be a wise choice for a rock garden, but otherwise it will establish itself wherever it is put.  Plant 7cm (3") deep and in small groups of 3/5 only 2" apart, repeated at intervals in lighter soil or thin grass, in some shade. Do not mow the grass too tight or too early.