Grow a great crocus

Southern gardeners love Tommies because it’s one of the few crocus species that come back every year in USDA cold-hardiness zones 7 and 8. Most others survive there just a year or two. Not bad for a bulb that’s also cold-hardy in zone 3! (It’s actually a corm, but most people lump it in with other bulbs.)

Tough enough to come up through grass or ground cover every year, Tommies spreads out gradually. Of course, a rock garden or mixed border of spring-blooming bulbs and perennials is a great way to enjoy Tommies, as well. Or put it in any full sun to part shade spot that you’ll see in late winter.

Simply plant the corms in fall 3 to 4 in. apart and 2 to 3 in. deep. They’ll multiply, filling an area quickly both by producing new bulbs around the existing ones and by self-sowing. Like most bulbs, it prefers well-drained soil. So if your soil is very heavy, work in lots of compost before you plant.

You don’t have to divide Tommies but if you want to share it with friends or grow it in other areas of your garden, just divide the clump in fall.

Late winter and early spring weather can be temperamental and unpredictable in the best of years. It’s nice to have such a reliable little splash of color to start your garden off right!

Crocus tommasinianus

Type Corm

Blooms Pale lavender flowers in late winter to early spring

Size 3 to 6 in. tall, 1 to 4 in. wide

Light Full sun to part shade

Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 8

Heat-tolerant AHS zones 8 to 1