Flowering Time	Spring
Distribution	Afghanistan; N Pakistan; Tajikistan; Uzbekistan
Native Climate	Cold winter with snow, dry summer
Wild Habitat	Open rocky and grassy places above 1200m
Distinctive Features	Glossy yellow flowers variously marked dark brown. Corm tunic membranous ageing to many parallel fibres
Closest Relatives	Crocus alatavicus; Crocus michelsonii
Cultivation Requirements	Dryish summer preferred, tolerant of winter cold and wet. (Grown outside in sunny, well drained sites in UK gardens)
Availability	Specialist bulb suppliers

A number of striking named forms of this species are available from specialist suppliers. The main difference is in the exterior markings, which range from slight speckling to large dark zones. Click here to view another variant. An unusual white form has arisen in cultivation. This has been named ‘Snow Leopard’ and is illustrated below.

Click the image below to see the flower open

Crocus korolkowii ‘Snow Leopard’ – Click on the image above to see a larger image.