Crocus cancellatus
Herbert
Cross-barred crocus
(c) Erica Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Erica Van Loon
(c) Kostas Zontanos, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kostas Zontanos
(c) Klavs Nielsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Klavs Nielsen
What to Eat
Edible parts: Root, Corm
The corm is eaten cooked. It is particularly prized as a vegetable when the bulb is just beginning to sprout.
Where to Find It
It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in rocky and stony places.
Armenia, Australia, Caucasus, Europe, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mediterranean, Middle East, Palestine, Syria, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye,
How to Identify
A low plant with a corm. It keeps growing from year to year. There are 4-5 leaves and these are grey-green. They are 1-2 mm wide. The leaves are absent at flowering time. The flowers are white to deep lilac-blue. The throat is pale yellow and there can be purple veins on the outside. The flower styles are divided into many pale orange branches.
How to Grow
Grows best on a gritty well-drained slope. Plants succeed outdoors if they are given perfect drainage in a warm sunny position, otherwise they are better grown in a bulb frame. Bulbs should be planted 5 - 7cm deep in the soil. June is the best time to do this. This species includes C. edulis, which is a synonym of C. cancellatus damascenus. The corms are sold in local markets in Syria. Plants tend to move considerably from their original planting place because of their means of vegetative reproduction, it is therefore wise not to grow different species in close proximity. The flowers are only open during the day time, closing at night.
Propagation: Sow seed as soon as it is ripe in light sandy soil in pots in a cold frame, or alternatively in a cold frame in early spring. Seed usually germinates freely, so sow thinly; germination occurs within 1–6 months at 18°c. Avoid transplanting seedlings in their first year unless overcrowded, but apply regular liquid feeds to prevent nutrient deficiency. Once the plants die down, divide the small bulbs and plant 2–3 per 8cm pot. Grow on for a further two years in a greenhouse or frame, then plant out into permanent positions when dormant in late summer. Expect 3–4 years from seed to flowering. Clumps can also be divided after the leaves die down in spring, with bulbs replanted directly into permanent positions if desired.
Medicinal Uses
None known
Other Uses
None known
Wikipedia
Source ↗Crocus cancellatus is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology Iridaceae. It is found from the Balkan Peninsula to Iran. Crocus cancellatus is a corm growing to 0.1 by 0.1 m (3.9 in by 3.9 in). It is hardy to zone (UK) 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from September to November, and the seeds ripen from March to May.
Notes
There are about 85 Crocus species.
Names & Synonyms
Gozenek, Shuhaim
References (8)
- Al-Qura'n, S. A., 2010, Ethnobotanical and Ecological Studies of Wild Edible Plants in Jordan. Libyan Agriculture Research Center Journal International 1(4):231-243
- Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 499
- Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement
- Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 122
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 228
- Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 76
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
