Flowering Time	Winter and Early Spring
Distribution	W Italy (Rome south to Terracina)
Native Climate	Mediterranean
Wild Habitat	Short turf and thin woodland
Distinctive Features	Lilac flowers with outside of outer petals buff. Corm tunic parallel fibres
Closest Relatives	Crocus versicolor
Cultivation Requirements	Well drained soil in sun. (Grown without protection in UK gardens given these conditions)
Availability	Some specialist bulb and seed suppliers

Differentiated from subspecies imperati by the absence of a bracteole. This subspecies usually has less well marked outer petals and can have a very sweet scent.

Click the image below to see the flowers of this form open.