Ep. 242 The big, colorful world of Crocus | #GoodGrowing

Crocuses may be small, but their world is anything but simple! Check out this week’s Good Growing Podcast, as we dive into the big, colorful world of Crocus. Learn about identifying crocus, how to grow them in your landscape, some of the commonly grown spring and fall-blooming species, and more!  
 
 
Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rX7QUDstn9E
 

Skip to what you want to know:  
  02:26 – 'Crocus' that aren't Crocus
  06:33 – What do 'real' Crocus look like? - flowers
  11:31 – What do 'real' Crocus look like? - leaves
  13:33 – What do 'real' Crocus look like? - corm
  17:41 – Categorizing crocus
  22:49 – General guidelines for growing crocus
  28:32 – When should crocus be planted? 
  30:15 – Propagating crocus
  35:49 – Fun fact - contractile roots
  37:24 – A few last planting tips, rodents, fertilizers, and mulch
  42:48 – Commonly grown species of Crocus
    43:53 - Snow/golden crocus (C. chrysanthus)
    47:54 - Dutch yellow/yellow crocus (C. flavus
    48:46 - Tommies (C. tommasinianus)
    52:57 - Dutch/giant/spring crocus (C. vernus
    54:01 - Tuscan crocus (C. etruscus
    55:22 - Sieber’s crocus (C. sieberi
    56:51 - Cloth of Gold crocus (C. angustifolius
    57:58 - Corsican crocus (C. corsicus
  59:17 – Some fall-blooming Crocus
    59:32 - Saffron/autumn crocus (C. sativus
    1:02:44 - Autumn crocus (C. kotschyanus), Hairy crocus (C. pulchellus), and Showy/Bieberstein’s crocus (C. speciosus
  1:04:17 - Can Crocus be grown in pots? When should they be divided?
  1:06:03 - Pests
  1:07:27 – Wrap-up, what’s up next week, and goodbye!
 

More information:
Crocuses: A Complete Guide to the Genus by Janis Ruksans
National Garden Bureau – Year of the Crocus: https://ngb.org/year-of-the-crocus/
 
 
Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: cenroth@illinois.edu
 
 
Check out the Good Growing Blog: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowing
Subscribe to the weekly Good Growing email: https://go.illinois.edu/goodgrowingsubscribe
 
Any products or companies mentioned during the podcast are in no way a promotion or endorsement of these products or companies.
 
 
Barnyard Bash: freesfx.co.uk
 
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Creators and Guests

Chris Enroth
Host
Chris Enroth
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator serving Henderson, Knox, McDonough, and Warren Counties
Ken Johnson
Host
Ken Johnson
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator serving Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan, and Scott Counties
Ep. 242 The big, colorful world of Crocus | #GoodGrowing
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