Crocus 'Pickwick' (Pickwick crocus) care

Light

Crocus 'Pickwick' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Needs full sun to open its flowers fully and keep the striping vivid; the blooms close in dull light. Light shade from leafless deciduous trees is tolerated, but deep shade thins the display. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.

Watering

Water crocus 'pickwick' depend on rainfall; supplemental water only during a dry spell right after autumn planting or active spring growth. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Grows in cool moist spring soil and rests dry through summer. Stop all watering once foliage yellows, as summer wet causes corm rot.

Soil and pot

Crocus 'Pickwick' grows best in free-draining, gritty loam or sandy soil, neutral to slightly alkaline. Sharp drainage is critical. On clay, work in grit and plant on a raised bed or slope so corms never sit in standing winter water. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Crocus 'Pickwick' sits happiest at around ambient outdoor humidity and -15 to 18°C (5 to 64°F). A hardy outdoor bulb needing no humidity management; performs in ordinary garden air. The only moisture concern is waterlogging during summer dormancy. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed crocus 'pickwick' sparingly. A light feeder. Scatter a low-nitrogen bulb fertiliser as growth emerges and again after flowering to fatten the corm; bonemeal worked in at autumn planting suffices for naturalised plantings. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on crocus 'pickwick' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Corm rot from waterlogging — Summer wet or heavy clay rots dormant corms. Ensure sharp drainage and avoid irrigating after the leaves die back.
• Rodents and squirrels eating corms — Freshly planted corms are dug and eaten. Protect with wire mesh or deeper planting, and incorporate grit to deter digging.
• Flowers won't open / stay closed — Crocus blooms only open in sun and warmth. In shade or cold dull weather they stay shut — relocate to a sunnier spot for a full display.
• Declining flowering over time — Mowing or removing foliage too soon starves the corm. Leave leaves to die down naturally and feed lightly after bloom.

Propagation

Divide clumps once foliage has withered in early summer: lift, detach the offset cormels from the mother corm, and replant at once at 8-10 cm deep. Self-sown seedlings also appear around established plantings. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Crocus 'Pickwick' is mildly toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists spring Crocus species as toxic, producing gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, diarrhoea and drooling when ingested. It is the mild spring type, not the dangerous colchicine-containing autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale). Site corms out of reach of pets and consult a vet if significant amounts are eaten. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Crocus 'Pickwick' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of crocus 'pickwick' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Crocus 'Pickwick' watering schedule
• Crocus 'Pickwick' light requirements
• Best soil mix for crocus 'pickwick'
• Crocus 'Pickwick' fertilizing guide
• When to repot crocus 'pickwick'
• How to propagate crocus 'pickwick'
• Crocus 'Pickwick' growth rate & size
• Crocus 'Pickwick' cold hardiness
• Crocus 'Pickwick' temperature & humidity
• Is crocus 'pickwick' toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is crocus 'pickwick' toxic to cats?
• Is crocus 'pickwick' toxic to dogs?
• Getting crocus 'pickwick' to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Crocus 'Pickwick' qualifies for 5 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Crocus 'Pickwick' is also known as Pickwick crocus, striped Dutch crocus, and lilac striped crocus.

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• All 3899 plant care guides in the Growli library