False Crocus is a herbaceous perennial bulb in the onion family, native to the southern United States, Mexico, and parts of South America. In nature, it can often be found growing in open woods, barrens, and prairies. At maturity, it can reach a height of 15 inches and a spread of 9 inches. The plant consists of a loose rosette of 2 to 5 ascending basal leaves, from which a flowering stalk develops. The small, upward-facing, yellow flowers appear in spring and provide an early pollen resource for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The genus name comes from two Greek words meaning "illegitimate" and "garlic". The species name means "having two valves", and refers to the two bracts that surround the flowers before they bloom. For spring blooms, plant bulbs in late winter to early spring in consistently moist, very well-drained sandy soils in a site with full sun to partial shade. The plant does tolerate dry or rocky soil and does very well in hot climates. False Crocus spreads easily and can be allowed to naturalize on lawns and other open areas. Although, left to multiply, it can form large colonies. False Crocus resembles other species in this family, but can be distinguished by the lack of a garlic or onion aroma from its foliage and bulbs and a lack of aerial bulblets in its inflorescence. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 3 in. | Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The basal leaves are 4 to 12 inches long, medium green, hairless, linear in shape, and somewhat truncate at their tips. Leaf venation is parallel.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Wheel
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Scapes reach up to 16 inches tall topped with an umbel of 4 to 8 small, upward-facing flowers in spring. The 1/2 inch wide flowers are made up of six white tepals with yellow tinged bases. A second bloom may occur in the fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring
Fruit color
Cream/Tan
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Flowers are replaced by seed capsules, slightly 3-lobed in shape, and hairless. Immature capsules are green, while mature capsules become light tan, dividing into 3 parts to release their seeds. There are about 4-6 black seeds for each lobe of a divided capsule.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The flowering stalk is 6 to 16 inches tall and more or less erect, medium green, hairless, terete (circular in cross-section), and hollow.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Temperate and subtropical America
Distribution
Carolinas south to Florida, west to Nevada, Mexico, Bolivia, and Chile
Wildlife value
Attracts butterflies. The flowers provide an early pollen and nectar source for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Patio; Small Space; Walkways
Landscape theme
Fairy Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#fairy garden #showy flowers #flowers early spring #yellow flowers #flowers late winter #small spaces #perennial bulbs #naturalizes #spreading #early spring flowers #pollinator friendly #native perennial #wildflower