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Colchicaceae
Meadow Saffron
Colchicum autumnale
Dangerous beauty.
- Family
- Colchicaceae
- Genus
- Colchicum
- Native to
- Europe
- Bloom season
- Fall
- Type
- corm
- Height
- 0.3-0.8 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- moist, well-drained
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 4-9
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Meadow saffron contains colchicine, which is still used in modern medicine to treat gout attacks.
- The plant blooms naked without leaves in autumn; leaves and seed pods appear the following spring, earning it the name 'naked ladies.'
- Colchicine is used in plant breeding to double chromosome numbers, creating new cultivars and even new crop varieties.
- The genus name refers to Colchis, the legendary land of the sorceress Medea in Greek mythology.
- Despite the common name, it is not a true saffron (Crocus sativus) and is extremely toxic if misidentified and consumed.
Color meanings
0
my best days are past
1
danger
2
growing old