Crocus tommasinianus Whitewell Purple

The paler of the named clones we offer with pale silvery mauve coloured petals over silver lined leaves. C. tommasinianus was named after M.G.S. de Tommasini, (1794-1879) a magistrate and botanist of Trieste.  It is native to Southern Hungary, NW Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it is found in deciduous woods. It seeds easily and will naturalise readily. These were originally made commercially available from a collection from the Rev. Joseph Jacob. The flowers of the species may not come true from seed if other tommasinianus varieties are in the vicinity but they will still be a pleasure, and the cormlets do come true.  Even when closed the sturdy stems hold the flower heads up above their leaves.  It will flower early in spring, and is attractive to insects, so long as they have become active.