Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Byzantine Colchicum bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Byzantine colchicum, Byzantine meadow saffron, Byzantine autumn crocus (Colchicum byzantinum).
More about byzantine colchicum
About Byzantine Colchicum
Colchicum byzantinum · also called Byzantine colchicum, Byzantine meadow saffron · flowering
Byzantine colchicum is a robust, cormous perennial of hybrid origin (naturalized in parts of south-east Europe and Turkey) that produces up to 20 goblet-shaped, rosy-lilac flowers per corm in early autumn before its large, ribbed leaves appear the following spring. It is one of the most free-flowering and easily grown of all autumn-blooming bulbs, naturalising well in borders and short grass. The most important care point is to plant corms during summer dormancy (June to August) as the flowers will appear within weeks of planting. All parts of this plant contain the alkaloid colchicine and are highly toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and humans.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Slugs damaging flowers: Slugs are the most common pest, raiding the bare, ground-level flowers as they emerge in autumn — use slug pellets (ferric phosphate) or a physical barrier of grit around the corms; night-time hand-picking is effective in small areas.
The reasons byzantine colchicum isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming byzantine colchicum traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:
- Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
- Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
- The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
- Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
- It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.
Feeding byzantine colchicum a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
The fix — how to get byzantine colchicum to flower
- Maximise sun. Give byzantine colchicum the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
- Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
- Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
- Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.
Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for byzantine colchicum and get the feeding right with the byzantine colchicum fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.
Bloom season and what to expect
Byzantine Colchicum flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
Post-bloom care so it flowers again
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full byzantine colchicum care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Byzantine Colchicum blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my byzantine colchicum flower?
Byzantine Colchicum blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
How do I make byzantine colchicum bloom?
Give byzantine colchicum the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
When does byzantine colchicum normally bloom?
Byzantine Colchicum flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with byzantine colchicum after it flowers?
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping byzantine colchicum flowering?
Feeding byzantine colchicum a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Byzantine Colchicum care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Byzantine Colchicum light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Byzantine Colchicum fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library