Spring crocus (Crocus vernus 'Pickwick')
Crocus vernus 'Pickwick' brings showy, silver-lilac blooms in early spring. Low maintenance Spring crocus ideal for naturalizing.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ is highly valued as one of the earliest harbingers of spring, often appearing shortly after snowdrops. This specific cultivar of the Spring crocus produces truly showy flowers, noted for their striking silver-lilac coloration accented by darker lilac stripes. As a low-maintenance bulb, this plant requires minimal intervention once established, offering significant visual reward for very little effort.
This beautiful Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ establishes easily in average garden settings, thriving best where it receives full sun to light afternoon shade. The Spring crocus spreads nicely over time, making it an excellent candidate for naturalizing within lawns or sunny woodland borders. Planting the corms in the fall ensures you are rewarded with vibrant color signaling the end of winter.
Gardeners appreciate the hardiness of Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ across Zones 3 through 8, which allows it to be grown widely across temperate regions. Its compact size ensures it integrates well into mixed borders or rock gardens, providing essential early-season interest before perennial growth fully kicks in.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Iridaceae
- Plant Type: Bulb
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.25-0.5 ft
- Spread: 0.25-0.5 ft
- Bloom Time: April
- Bloom Description: Silver-lilac with darker lilac stripes
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ corms should occur in the fall, typically before the first hard frost. Locate them in areas receiving full sun to partial shade, ensuring the soil is well-drained; these bulbs perform best in gritty media and strongly dislike constantly wet conditions, especially heavy clay. Set the corms approximately 3 to 4 inches deep and space them 3 to 6 inches apart.
Care is minimal once planted. Water requirements are medium during the active growing and blooming period. Crucially, if you plant Spring crocus in your lawn, you must leave the foliage completely unmowed for about six weeks following bloom until the leaves naturally yellow and die back; this process allows the corm to store energy for the following year. Watering should be significantly reduced as the plants naturally enter dormancy in late spring, preferring dry conditions throughout summer rest.
Divide the clumps of Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ every four to five years if you notice diminishing flower size or overcrowding, although they generally naturalize well without intervention. Ensure they are not overly crowded by surrounding perennials, as adequate light penetrating to the soil surface is key throughout their short growing season.
Landscape Uses
The primary joy of the Spring crocus is its ability to naturalize, creating spectacular, sweeping drifts of color in unexpected places. It is highly recommended for mass planting within lawns, where the early bloom provides a delightful surprise as the turf emerges from winter dormancy. These bulbs are also perfectly suited for the edges of woodland areas that receive dappled sunlight or for brightening up sunny borders.
Groupings of Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ are ideal for rock gardens or along walkways, providing an immediate splash of color near architectural elements. Because they bloom so early, they pair wonderfully with other early bloomers like snowdrops or scilla. Planting them near the front of shrub borders ensures their brief display is clearly visible before deciduous shrubs leaf out.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Good Cut
Noteworthy Characteristics
Crocus vernus is an early spring blooming bulb (actually a corm) that is primarily native to high alpine areas in Europe (Pyrenees, Alps and Carpathians). Many popular hybrids of this crocus have been developed over the years. Species plants and hybrids are commonly called Dutch crocus, large flowering crocus, giant crocus or spring crocus. Flowers bloom in early spring for about three weeks (typically beginning in late March in the St. Louis area). Flowers close at night and open up in the morning, but usually remain closed on rainy/cloudy days. Basal, grass-like leaves. Foliage yellows as plants go dormant several weeks after bloom.Genus name comes from krokos the ancient Greek name for saffron (Crocus sativus.)Specific epithet means spring in reference to the spring flowering of this species.‘Pickwick’ is a large flowering crocus that produces several upright, cuplike, silver-lilac flowers with darker lilac stripes on stems rising to 4-6” and basal, grass-like leaves. Versatile and easy to grow. Blooms shortly after snowdrops (Galanthus). Naturalizes well.
Tolerances
- Deer
- Clay Soil
- Black Walnut
Potential Problems
The Spring crocus generally boasts a clean bill of health regarding serious pests or diseases, making the Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ a reliable choice. The primary management concern involves rodents, specifically squirrels, mice, and voles, which are highly attracted to and will dig up newly planted corms to eat them. Deer reliably avoid grazing on crocus foliage.
To mitigate rodent damage, gardeners can employ barrier methods or netting until the corms have established roots. Planting corms deeper than recommended or sprinkling cayenne pepper or predator urine around the planting site may offer some deterrence against hungry squirrels investigating the newly turned soil where the Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ resides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Spring crocus suitable for?
This variety of Spring crocus is reliably hardy across USDA Zones 3 through 8.
How large does Spring crocus grow?
Mature plants reach a low height between 0.25 to 0.5 feet tall, with a similar spread of 0.25 to 0.5 feet wide.
When does Spring crocus bloom?
This cultivar typically blooms in April, displaying its characteristic silver-lilac flowers with darker lilac stripes.
What sun exposure does Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ need?
Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ performs best with full sun exposure but will tolerate partial shade, especially as deciduous trees begin to leaf out.
Conclusion
The Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ offers an invaluable splash of early color using a low-maintenance, bulbous plant that naturalizes beautifully. Its hardiness and unique silver-lilac markings make it a standout selection among early spring bloomers. Plan to plant your Spring crocus corms deeply this coming fall to ensure a spectacular welcome to the gardening season next year.
Companion Planting
When planning early spring displays, consider pairing Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ with other bulbs whose growth habits complement its short season. Since the crocus foliage yellows quickly after blooming, plants that emerge later in the spring make excellent companions as they will help mask this fading foliage. Good partners include early-blooming daffodils (Narcissus), especially smaller, clump-forming varieties, or Grape Hyacinths (Muscari).
For areas where you need ongoing interest after the bloom fades, plant low-growing, shade-tolerant perennials nearby, such as creeping phlox or certain varieties of Brunnera. The Spring crocus enjoys a period of dry dormancy, so select companions that also prefer well-draining soil conditions rather than moisture-loving tropicals.
Seasonal Care Calendar
For optimum return bloom from your Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’, adhere to a simple annual schedule. In late fall, ensure corms are adequately buried and protected if rodent pressure is high in your area. Once growth begins in late winter, monitor moisture; though they require medium water when actively growing, avoid heavy supplemental watering if natural rains are plentiful.
The most critical period is immediately post-bloom in spring. The grass-like foliage must remain entirely intact until it naturally yellows, which signals that the corm has recharged its energy stores. Resist the temptation to trim this foliage back to tidy up the lawn, as this directly impacts the performance of Crocus vernus ‘Pickwick’ next year. As summer heat arrives, cease watering entirely, as the dormant corms prefer dry soil during their summer rest period.
