Meadow saffron

Meadow saffron

Meadow saffron ©Montgomeryshire WT

Meadow saffron

A late-blooming flower, Meadow saffron looks like a crocus, displaying similar pink flowers once its leaves have died back. It is a highly poisonous plant of meadows and woodland rides and clearings.

Enw gwyddonol

Colchicum autumnale

Pryd i'w gweld

September to September

Gwybodaeth am rywogaethau

Ystadegau

Height: 10-40cm
Classified as Near Threatened on the Vascular plant red data list for Great Britain.

Cynefinoedd

Ynghylch

Meadow saffron is a plant of damp hay meadows and woodland rides and clearings, but is also popular in gardens. It is also known as 'Autumn crocus' or 'Naked ladies'; the latter name stemming from the habit of the flowers appearing without any leaves. Its pink, crocus-like flowers appear in September, but this plant is, in fact, a colchicum - a bulbous plant, but not a true crocus. The leaves appear in the spring and may be confused with Ramsons - a potentially lethal mistake, since all parts of the plant are poisonous. The unimproved grasslands where this beautiful plant grows were typically managed for hay since the poisonous leaves die down prior to harvest.

Sut i'w hadnabod

Meadow saffron is a short plant that displays large, pink, crocus-like flowers with six petals. Its shiny, lance-like leaves die back before the flowers appear.

Dosbarthiad

Largely restricted to Central and Southern England, and the Welsh borders. Scattered populations elsewhere.

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

The deadly poison of Meadow saffron, colchicine, is used to treat gout.