Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southern Africa
Mediterranean, Turkey
Types
Perennial
Colchicum autumnale
Number of Varieties
5025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Lawn, meadows, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-106-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm7.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm7.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Fuchsia, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long Broad
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Corms or bulbs, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in summer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Slugs
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
poisonous if ingested, Toxic if not prepared properly
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Removes pimples
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Arthritis, Gout, Itching
Part of Plant Used
Root
Bulbs, Flowers, Seeds
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Alpine, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
Colchicum autumnale
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Autumn Crocus, meadow saffron, naked lady
In Hindi
African Iris
शरद ऋतु का पौधा
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Herbstzeitlose
In French
African Iris
colchique d'automne
In Spanish
Iris africano
cólquico
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
φθινόπωρο κρόκος
In Portuguese
Iris africano
aftomn gema
In Polish
Afryki Iris
aftomn żółtka
In Latin
African Iris
aftomn vitellus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Liliales
Family
Iridaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Dietes
Colchicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Irideae
Colchiceae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
300160
1
27800
👆🏻