Flowering Time	Spring
Distribution	Turkmenistan; Iran
Native Climate	Cold winter, cool drier summer
Wild Habitat	Open stony slopes and in thin scrub
Distinctive Features	Whitish flower heavily marked with lilac blue on the outside of the petals. Corm tunic netted fibres
Closest Relatives	Crocus alatavicus; Crocus korolkowii
Cultivation Requirements	? Cool dryish summer rest.
Availability	Rarely available although seed is sometimes offered in specialist lists*

*I have found seed impossible to germinate despite several attempts. This is not at all typical for Crocus species – most are easily raised from seed, which germinates usually readily. If you know the secret of successful germination, please let me know so that I can pass it on! (The seedling corms illustrated below were a gift from a friend.)

Pictures © John Lonsdale

Link here to John Lonsdales Crocus Gallery

Seedling corms

Picture © Dr Jean Yves Tronel