Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Asia, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea
Mediterranean, Turkey
Types
Apricot Gold, Butter Yellow, Orange Supreme, Dan
Colchicum autumnale
Number of Varieties
3025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Woodland Garden Canopy
Lawn, meadows, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-116-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
9-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
21,22
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm7.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm7.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Orange
Fuchsia, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Blue, Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval, Finely Dentate
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Fall, Fall
Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Semi-hardwood cuttings
Corms or bulbs, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove no more than one-third of each branch
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-purpose dry fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in summer
Pests and Diseases
-
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
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Nematodes
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
-
poisonous if ingested, Toxic if not prepared properly
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin and hair
Removes pimples
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antitussive
Arthritis, Gout, Itching
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Flowers, Fruits, Stem
Bulbs, Flowers, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as essential oil, Used as insect repellent, Used in herbal medicines, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Alpine, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
OSMANTHUS fragrans
Colchicum autumnale
Common Name
Sweet olive, Sweet osmanthus, Tea olive
Autumn Crocus, meadow saffron, naked lady
In Hindi
Sweet Olive
शरद ऋतु का पौधा
In German
Sweet Olive
Herbstzeitlose
In French
Olive douce
colchique d'automne
In Spanish
Oliva dulce
cólquico
In Greek
γλυκό Ελιά
φθινόπωρο κρόκος
In Portuguese
Olive doce
aftomn gema
In Polish
słodki Olive
aftomn żółtka
In Latin
Dulce Olive
aftomn vitellus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Liliales
Family
Oleaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Osmanthus
Colchicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Oleeae
Colchiceae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
15160
1
27800
👆🏻