Crocus Pages by Tony Goode
Species Crocus species

Crocus pallasii pallasii

Flowering Time

Autumn

Distribution

Macedonia; S Serbia; S & E Bulgaria; Crimea; Aegean Islands; Lebanon; Israel; Turkey

Native Climate

Mediterranean

Wild Habitat

Stony or rocky slopes, often in thin scrub

Distinctive Features

Flowers in shades of lilac, often slightly veined darker.   Corm tunic finely netted fibres

Closest Relatives

Crocus pallasii dispathaceus;

Crocus pallasii haussknechtii;

Crocus pallasii turcicus

Cultivation Requirements

Year round protection needed.   Warm, dry summer rest best

Availability

Specialist bulb suppliers

A member of the saffron group, series Crocus, with common features being autumn flowers; yellow anthers and a style dividing into three distinct branches.   While Crocus sativus (saffron crocus) has very long style branches Crocus pallasii has the shortest style in this group. (See picture below.)   The style divides above the base of the anthers, the related Crocus cartwrightianus has a style which divides well below the base of the anthers almost in the throat of the flower, a useful distinction.

The most widespread and variable subspecies of Crocus pallasii.   Most forms have rather insignificant flowers albeit plentifully produced.

Crocus pallasii pallasii

Crocus pallasii pallasii

A typical Crocus pallasii flower showing style with three short red branches.

Crocus pallasii pallasii

Corm showing long fibrous neck, made up of old leaf bases, which is a distinctive feature of Crocus pallasii.

Crocus Species
C. abantensis,
C. adanensis,
C. aerius,
C. alatavicus,
C. aleppicus,
C. almehensis,
C. ancyrensis,
C. angustifolius,
C. antalyensis,
C. asumaniae,
C. autranii,
C. banaticus,
C. baytopiorum,
C. biflorus adamii,
C. biflorus albocoronatus,
C. biflorus alexandrii,
C. biflorus artvinensis,
C. biflorus biflorus,
C. biflorus crewei,
C. biflorus fibroannulatus,
C. biflorus isauricus,
C. biflorus melantherus,
C. biflorus nubigena,
C. biflorus pseudonubigena,
C. biflorus pulchricolor,
C. biflorus punctatus,
C. biflorus stridii,
C. biflorus tauri,
C. biflorus wattiorum,
C. biflorus weldenii,
C. boryi,
C. boulosii,
C. cambessedesii,
C. cancellatus cancellatus,
C. cancellatus damascenus,
C. cancellatus lycius,
C. cancellatus mazziaricus,
C. cancellatus pamphylicus,
C. candidus,
C. carpetanus,
C. cartwrightianus,
C. caspius,
C. chrysanthus,
C. corsicus,
C. cvijicii,
C. cyprius,
C. dalmaticus,
C. danfordiae,
C. etruscus,
C. flavus dissectus,
C. flavus flavus,
C. fleischeri,
C. gargaricus gargaricus,
C. gargaricus herbertii,
C. gilanicus,
C. goulimyi goulimyi,
C. goulimyi leucanthus,
C. graveolens,
C. hadriaticus hadriaticus,
C. hadriaticus parnassicus,
C. hadriaticus parnonicus,
C. hartmannianus,
C. hermoneus hermoneus,
C. hermoneus palaestinus,
C. hyemalis,
C. imperati imperati,
C. imperati suaveloens,
C. karduchorum,
C. kerndorffiorum,
C. korolkowii,
C. kosaninii,
C. kotschyanus cappadocicus,
C. kotschyanus hakkariensis,
C. kotschyanus kotschyanus,
C. kotschyanus suworowianus,
C. laevigatus,
C. leichtlinii,
C. longiflorus,
C. malyi,
C. mathewii,
C. medius,
C. michelsonii,
C. minimus,
C. minutus,
C. moabiticus,
C. nevadensis,
C. niveus,
C. nudiflorus,
C. ochroleucus,
C. olivieri balansae,
C. olivieri istanbulensis,
C. olivieri olivieri,
C. oreocreticus,
C. pallasii dispathaceus,
C. pallasii haussknechtii,
C. pallasii pallasii,
C. pallasii turcicus,
C. paschei,
C. pelistericus,
C. pestalozzae,
C. pulchellus,
C. reticulatus hittiticus,
C. reticulatus reticulatus,
C. robertianus,
C. roseoviolaceus,
C. rujanensis,
C. sativus,
C. scardicus,
C. scharojanii,
C. serotinus clusii,
C. serotinus salzmannii,
C. serotinus serotinus,
C. sieberi atticus,
C. sieberi nivalis,
C. sieberi sieberi,
C. sieberi sublimis,
C. sieheanus,
C. speciosus ilgazensis,
C. speciosus speciosus,
C. speciosus xantholaimos,
C. thomasii,
C. tommasinianus,
C. tournefortii,
C. vallicola,
C. veluchensis,
C. veneris,
C. vernus albiflorus,
C. vernus vernus,
C. versicolor,
C. vitellinus,

Crocus hybrids
Corms and Tunics
Leaves
Flowers
Stamens and Styles
Pollination and Seeds