Characteristics
A low plant which forms corms. It keeps growing from year to year. There are 5-11 leaves and these are grey-green. They are 0.5-1.5 mm wide. The flowers are pale or deep lilac-purple. They are strongly veined on the outside. They can be a darker colour towards the base. The stamen have yellow anthers and a white or purple stalk. The style is divided into 3 very long and deep red branches. They are flared at the tip. Each is 15-27 mm long.
Life form |
perennial
|
Growth form |
herb
|
Growth support |
free-standing
|
Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
Pollination |
-
|
Spread |
-
|
Mature width (meter) |
- 0.1
|
Mature height (meter) |
0.09
|
Root system |
-
|
Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
Flower color |
|
Blooming months |
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|
Fruit color |
-
|
Fruiting months |
-
|
Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
Photosynthetic pathway |
c3
|
Environment
It grows on rocky hillsides and in grassy places.
Light |
|
Soil humidity |
|
Soil texture |
|
Soil acidity |
|
Soil nutriment |
-
|
Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The flower styles are sometimes collected for saffron.
Uses |
-
|
Edible
|
flowers
|
Therapeutic use
|
-
|
Human toxicity |
-
|
Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Can be grown by seedlings.
Mode |
seedlings
|
Germination duration (days) |
30 - 180
|
Germination temperacture (C°) |
12 - 18
|
Germination luminosity |
-
|
Germination treatment |
-
|
Minimum temperature (C°) |
-12
|
Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
Size |
-
|
Vigor |
-
|
Productivity |
-
|