Flowering Time	Spring
Distribution	C & S Albania; Macedonia; Bulgaria; C & N Greece
Native Climate	Montane Mediterranean. (Snow cover in winter)
Wild Habitat	Alpine meadows, open woodland
Distinctive Features	Flower pale – deep purple. Corm tunic finely netted fibres
Closest Relatives	Crocus sieberi sublimis
Cultivation Requirements	Variable! Some forms are straightforward requiring a cool moist growing season (autumn-spring) and a cool drier summer rest. As with other alpine species, forms from high altitude are more difficult to please.
Availability	Specialist bulb suppliers and seed lists

Crocus veluchensis in its more tractable forms can be a successful garden plant, with no requirement for a warm, dry summer rest.

Comparison with Crocus sieberi sublimis will show that the most noticeable differences are the lack of any yellow in the throat of Crocus veluchensis and the flower shape. Crocus sieberi commonly has a ‘waisted’ shape, the flowers opening almost flat. Crocus veluchensis is funnel or goblet shaped. The lower picture is of plants raised from wild collected seed that may represent hybrids with Crocus sieberi sublimis. The two taxa do overlap on some mountain passes in N Greece.

An unusually dark flowered form

The lower two pictures are of a wild form found on Mt Kalmakcalan, N Greece – seed raised. Some of these seedlings have a hint of yellow in the throat of the flower, but not all. Compare with Crocus sieberi sublimis.