This beautiful Genus of two species comes from Chile; cyanocrocus and violiflora. They call this the blue crocus, but in fact it is not a crocus nor is it related. It is in the family Tecophilaeaceae. Cyanocrocus which I grow comes from the Cordillera of Santiago at around 3000m.
They are believed to be endangered in the wild due to over-collecting, overgrazing and human encroachment.
They are known for their intense breathtaking blue flowers with a white centre. In the wild they bloom October-November which is spring in the Southern Hemisphere and in northern climates (Winter)February-March.
They are tender therefore I grow mine in the cold greenhouse. Each inflorescence can produce 1-2 blossoms. I use a well-drained soil which I keep moist during the winter. In summer they are dormant and kept bone dry in shade. They do not enjoy a summer-baking as most bulbs do during dormancy.
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