Photo: Meneerke bloem, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Bulb or tuber · Colchicaceae

Meadow saffron

Colchicum autumnale

In other languages: Herfsttijloos (Nederlands) · Colchique d’automne (Français)

Meadow saffron is a corm from the damp hay meadows and open woods of Europe, and it is also native to Belgium. In September and October, soft pink to lilac goblets 15–20 cm tall suddenly rise from the ground without a single leaf. The large, glossy leaves and the seed capsule only appear in spring and die back again in June. Gardeners like it because it brings colour as the garden winds down, and bees still find pollen and nectar on it late in the year. There is also a white form, ‘Album’. Note that all parts are highly poisonous.

Caution: All parts are highly poisonous, especially the corms and seeds. Keep children, dogs and cats away from the plant and never plant it in or next to a field used for horses, cattle or sheep: it remains poisonous even when dried in hay. The leaves look like wild garlic, so never pick wild garlic where meadow saffron grows. Wear gloves and wash your hands after handling it.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Loam or clay
neutral to chalky
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -25 °C
Size
0.2 m
tall, 0.15 m wide
Flowering
September–October

Key facts
Height	0.2 m
Native to Belgium	Yes
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Yes, for bees
Poisonous to people and pets	Yes, take care with children and pets
Flowering	September–October

Identify

Meadow saffron: how do you recognise it?

Habit: A corm 15–20 cm tall that flowers without leaves in autumn and only produces its leaves in spring.
Leaves: Large, broadly lance-shaped and glossy green, 15–25 cm long; they appear in February–March and die back in June.
Flowers: Crocus-like goblets with six petals and six stamens on a long white flower tube, in September and October.
Colour: Soft pink to lilac pink; the form ‘Album’ is pure white.
Corm: A fairly large corm with a dark brown, papery tunic; it forms new corms every year.
Fruit: An egg-shaped seed capsule that appears among the leaves in spring and splits open in June.

Flowering: September–October · Plants: July–September

In your garden

Why grow it?

Flowers in September and October, when almost all other bulbs finished long ago.
A late source of pollen and nectar for bees and bumblebees.
Easy and long-lived: the corms return every year and slowly build up into a clump.
Lovely in grass, under deciduous shrubs or among low ground cover.
A native species for a wildlife garden, provided children and animals cannot get at it.

Meadow saffron: where does it grow best?

Sun or partial shade, for example at the edge of a border or under deciduous shrubs.
Loam or clay, neutral to chalky and rich in humus.
Normal, moisture-retentive soil that does not dry out completely in summer and is not waterlogged in winter.
Choose a spot where the large leaves do not bother you in spring: they die back rather untidily in June.
Plant 10–15 cm apart, in groups of at least five corms.

Light: Sun and partial shade
Soil type: Loam or clay
Acidity: Neutral or chalky
Moisture: Normal
Size: 0.2 m tall, 0.15 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

Bugle: A low, evergreen mat that supports the flowers.
Ivy-leaved cyclamen: Flowers at the same time with small pink or white flowers.
Michaelmas daisy: Purple, blue or white as a backdrop in the autumn border.
Ice plant: Pink flower heads in September and October, also good for bees.
Ornamental grasses: Fine, swaying stems around the bare flower stalks.

Maintenance

Meadow saffron: when and how to plant it?

Plant in July–September.

Plant the corms in July and August, early September at the latest: they will then flower a few weeks later.
Wear gloves, as the corms are highly poisonous.
Make a hole 10–15 cm deep and loosen heavy soil with some compost or coarse sand.
Set the corms pointed end up, 10–15 cm apart.
Fill in, firm the soil lightly and water if the ground is bone dry.
Add a label so you do not dig into the corms by accident later.

Care

Watering: Not needed in open ground. Only water just after planting if late summer is very dry.
Feeding: Usually not needed. On poor soil, scatter a little compost around the leaves in spring.
Leaves: Let the leaves turn completely yellow before removing them: this is how the corm builds up reserves for the next flowering.
Spent flowers: These rot away by themselves. If you do not want seedlings, cut off the seed capsules in May before they split.
Gloves: Always wear gloves when handling corms, leaves or seed, and wash your hands afterwards.

Tip: Plant the corms among low ground cover or in grass: the flowers will flop less and the dying leaves will be less noticeable in June.

Meadow saffron: when to prune it?

When: Meadow saffron is not pruned. The only job is clearing away dead leaves in June–July.

How:

Leave the leaves until they are completely yellow or brown and come away easily.
Cut off the seed capsules in May if you do not want seedlings.
Clear away limp, faded flowers in November if they look untidy.

Caution: Wear gloves for this job and never leave the leaves or seed capsules where animals could eat them.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division: Every 3–4 years, in July when the leaves have died back, lift a dense clump. Separate the corms and replant them straight away.
Seed: Sow fresh seed in June in a pot left outdoors. It takes several years before the seedlings flower.

Meadow saffron: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

Fully hardy to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
In winter the corm rests; from February the leaves come up, even while it is still freezing.
In a pot: keep it in a sheltered spot and make sure the compost does not become waterlogged.

Diseases and pests

Slugs: They eat the flowers and young leaves. Pick them off in the evening or put down a plank as a trap.
Flopping flowers: After rain or wind the long goblets fall over. Plant them among low ground cover or in grass, which gives support.
Untidy leaves: The large leaves die back messily in June. Put perennials in front that grow up at that time and hide them.
Corm rot: The corms rot in wet, heavy soil. Lighten the soil with coarse sand or choose a higher spot.
Confusion with wild garlic: The young leaves look like those of wild garlic. Never pick wild garlic where meadow saffron grows.

Through the year

February: The leaves come up. Do not confuse them with wild garlic.
March: The leaves grow. Watch out for slugs.
April: Leaves and seed capsules. A little compost on poor soil.
May: Cut off seed capsules if you do not want seedlings.
June: The leaves turn yellow: let them die back, then clear them away.
July: Plant corms. Divide dense clumps.
August: Plant corms.
September: Flowers without leaves. Plant the last corms.
October: In flower. Bees and bumblebees on the flowers.
November: Clear away faded flowers.
December: Rest.

Use

Edible and useful

Not edible. All parts of autumn crocus are highly poisonous (colchicine), to pets and livestock too; there is no antidote. The leaves appear in spring and are sometimes mistaken for wild garlic, the purple autumn flowers for saffron crocus. Wear gloves when planting the corms and keep children and pets away. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees: Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

You and this species

Did you know?

Meadow saffron looks like a crocus but is not related: it has six stamens, a crocus only three.
A loose corm will even flower without soil: put it on a saucer in August and flowers appear a few weeks later.
The name Colchicum refers to Colchis, an ancient region on the Black Sea in present-day Georgia.

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