Colchicum ‘Album’

Description

There’s something very classy about the autumn-flowering Colchicum autumnale ‘Album’. Perhaps it’s the almost translucent and ghostly-white goblets that appear in autumn, long after the foliage dies off in summer. The absence of foliage has led to a number of names for the spirit-like bloom, like naked ladies or even naked boys. Less cheekily, it is also known as white meadow saffron. Colchicum ‘Album’ are among the last of the colchicums to bloom, but it’s a spectacle not to be missed.

The effect of these six-stamen blooms is stunning. However, while Colchicum autumnale ‘Album’ may look good enough to eat, and can be confused with wild garlic, the plant contains certain toxins, and should not be eaten.