Guest Author - Nikki Phipps

Fall and winter-blooming bulbs include colchicum, fall-blooming crocus, sternbergia, daffodil varieties, cyclamen, and winter aconite.

Although some colchicums bloom in the spring, the majority bloom in late fall. Many of the colchicum species look similar to the crocus, except that they have six stamens while the crocus have only three. Because of their similarity to the saffron crocus, they have also been referred to as meadow saffron. These fall-blooming beauties send up foliage in spring, which dies back quickly, and then, just springs back to life with white to purple flowers in fall. C. autumnale, with purple to white flowers, and C. byzantinum, with pale pinkish to lilac flowers, are considered to be the strongest and most prolific of all colchicums. Some even resemble water lilies. C. speciosum, also called Water lily, is considered by many gardening enthusiasts to be the most suitable for garden use. The large, raspberry-purple blooms are quite fragrant, flowering in September.

There are many crocuses that bloom in fall. Fall-flowering varieties of crocus include the Saffron Crocus (C. sativa), which is probably the most well known. The Saffron Crocus is commonly grown not just for its beauty but for its use in the kitchen. Often referred to as the Autumn Crocus, C. medius is a native of Italy. This stunning crocus has bright blue flowers with vivid orange stamens. C. banaticus is a genuine gem in the garden. The rich lilac flower is more like an iris and stands out from the rest of the crocus family. The species C. kotschyanus varies in color from pink to lilac and is considered an heirloom species. Another beautiful autumn crocus and native from Greece, C. goulimyi has rounded goblets of opalescent lavender flowers that are sweetly scented. C. ochroleucus is a miniature autumn-flowering crocus that is creamy white with a yellow throat.
C. longiflorus varies in color from pale to bright lilac with an orange throat.

Sternbergias can produce crocus-like yellow to gold flowers and are sometimes referred to as autumn daffodils. The only fall-blooming variety in the group is S. lutea, which has bright yellow flowers. There are also many fall and winter-blooming daffodils available. Take, for example, the fall-flowering Grass Green daffodil (N. viridiflorus). The green color alone makes this daffodil quite exquisite as well as its strong musky fragrance. Growth is often triggered by fall rain. Another good choice for the garden is N. cantabricus, which may be seen blooming in late.

Let us not forget the stunning cyclamen. Most cyclamen species provide an interesting winter groundcover in shady gardens. Hardy cyclamen (C. hederifolium) is native to southern Europe. The corms produce heart-shaped, blue-green and silver mottled leaves with scalloped edges and nodding, pale-pink flowers in early fall. Cilician cyclamen (C. cilicium) has nodding pink or white flowers in fall or winter months. Winter cyclamen (C. coum) is a winter-flowering species, usually showing its white, pink, or red blooms anywhere between December and April depending on the climate.

Winter aconite (Eranthis) has eight species, though only two of these, E. hyemalis and E. cilicica, are commonly cultivated. Blooming often takes place as early as late January or early February. In fact, cold winters bring the best show of flowers. The flowers of winter aconite are similar to those of buttercups, but it’s the leaves of this plant, which give it interest, enclosing the flower somewhat like a collar. The lemon yellow blooms of winter aconite open only while the sun is shining and close once darkness falls. Winter aconite dies down completely after spring. Beware; however, winter aconites are one of the most poisonous plants in the garden. If you have small children or pets that are likely to dig in the garden, you may not want to plant winter aconite in your yard. The entire plant, especially the tuber, is quite poisonous and may cause nausea, vomiting, colic attacks, and visual disturbances.