About Crocus alatavicus Regel & Semen.
Crocus alatavicus Regel & Semen. is a herbaceous perennial geophyte that grows from a corm. Its medium-sized corm has a tunic made of parallel fibers. It produces 8 to 20 narrow leaves, which are short when the plant is in flower. Its flowers are white, with gray to black-violet spotting on their outer surfaces. Both the flower throats and the anthers are yellow. The stigma ranges in color from yellow to orange. This species grows in mountain habitats, among stones and in scrub, and is often found growing alongside Colchicum luteum. It flowers from February to May, with the timing dependent on altitude. It grows easily in a bulb frame, as long as the soil stays dry during summer. It is winter hardy to USDA zone 4.
