Colchicum 'Waterlily'
Colchicum 'Waterlily' · Colchicaceae
Fully double flowers of lilac-pink, like small waterlilies, rise straight out of bare ground in early autumn.
- Size
- 6 in tall, 10 in wide
- Zones
- 4 to 8
- Light
- Full sun to part sun
- Flowers
- Mid September to mid October
- Pets
- Toxic (severe)
- Job in a bed
- Bulb layer
A bed built around colchicum 'Waterlily'
The planner designed this bed around colchicum 'Waterlily' when this page was made: a 12 × 6 ft (3.7 × 1.8 m) English border in zone 6, full sun. It chose the other plants from the 966 that suit those conditions, and says below why colchicum 'Waterlily' stands where it does.
The plants
- 1 Dianthus 'Kahori' × 3, pink
- 2 Leadwort × 15, blue
- 3 Foxglove beardtongue × 3, white
- 4 Tatarian aster 'Jindai' × 4, purple
- 5 Globe arborvitae 'Danica' × 1, green leaves
- 6 Caucasian scabious 'Fama' × 3, blue
- 7 Colchicum 'Waterlily' × 5, pink
- 8 Schubert's allium × 2, pink
Why this plant
- A classic partner for leadwort. Both are on this plan. A pairing gardeners have proved outranks a general rule.
Why here
- Near the front. At 6 in it stands ahead of caucasian scabious 'Fama' (24 in) without hiding it.
- 5 plants in one handful. In the gaps between other plants, which fill the space when the bulb is not in growth.
- Beside leadwort. A recognised partner: the planner puts such plants together where it can.
Why now
- In flower for five weeks. From mid September to mid October.
- In company. With leadwort and Tatarian aster 'Jindai' in early October: 3 kinds at once.
- Leaves gone by midsummer. They die back and leave bare ground. A perennial that comes up late stands beside it, and grows over the gap.
Planned as an English border: 5 of the 6 groups (83%) are drifts, longer along the bed than they are deep. Pink is the colour seen most, on 3 of the 7 kinds grown for their flowers. The most in flower at one time is 4 kinds, in late June.
The planner's own design check: 12 Excellent, 5 Good.
Open this bed in the planner Change its size, the sun or the style, move plants about, or swap one for another.
Where colchicum 'Waterlily' goes in a border
At 6 in it belongs at the front of a bed. In the planner's ten height classes it is ground-hugging (up to 6 in).
Its job: bulb layer. Small bulbs planted in handfuls of five or seven in the gaps between other plants, for colour before the perennials wake up.
The showiest of the autumn crocuses. The flowers are top-heavy and fall over in rain, so plant it through a low groundcover that will hold them up. Large leaves follow in spring.
- A surprise in early autumn
- Planting through low groundcover
- Under deciduous shrubs
What to plant with colchicum 'Waterlily'
Plants recorded as good partners for it, and what each pairing does:
- Leadwort: in flower together for four weeks, from mid September; grows up in time to hide its dying leaves; medium leaves against its bold ones.
- Bugleweed: flowers first, early May to late May, so the spot is never empty; medium leaves against its bold ones; spires rising out of its mound.
- Cranesbill 'Biokovo': flowers first, late May to late June, so the spot is never empty; medium leaves against its bold ones; tall enough (10 in) to stand behind it.
Questions about colchicum 'Waterlily'
Does colchicum 'Waterlily' need sun or shade?
Colchicum 'Waterlily' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).
It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.
What zones does colchicum 'Waterlily' grow in?
USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).
Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.
Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.
When does colchicum 'Waterlily' flower in my zone?
In zone 5 it flowers mid September to mid October. As an autumn flower it keeps much the same dates in every zone: it answers to shortening days and cool nights more than to the warmth of spring.
| Zone 4 | Mid September to mid October |
|---|---|
| Zone 5 | Mid September to mid October |
| Zone 6 | Mid September to mid October |
| Zone 7 | Mid September to mid October |
| Zone 8 | Mid September to mid October |
Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.
How far apart should colchicum 'Waterlily' be planted?
8 in (20 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 10 in (25 cm), so a group knits into one patch.
It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.
How many colchicum 'Waterlily' plants do I need?
At 8 in apart, set out in staggered rows:
- 27 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
- 16 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
- 86 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own
In a mixed border, plant it as handfuls of five or seven, in the gaps between other plants.
In the bed above, the planner used five in one group.
Is colchicum 'Waterlily' poisonous to dogs and cats?
Yes: severe toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts are extremely poisonous if eaten, and can be fatal. Wear gloves to handle the bulbs.
Rated from the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.
Is there a pet-safe plant like colchicum 'Waterlily'?
These come closest to doing what colchicum 'Waterlily' does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:
- Spring starflower: the same job in a bed; 5 in narrower, flowers early April to early May.
- Grape hyacinth: the same job in a bed; 4 in narrower, flowers mid April to early May.
Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.
What can I plant to hide colchicum 'Waterlily''s leaves after it flowers?
A bulb's leaves have to be left to yellow for about six weeks after flowering, to feed next year's flowers. Plant it among perennials that come up late and spread wide, and they grow over the leaves as they fade:
- Lady's mantle: 18 in tall and 24 in wide, in flower late May to early July.
- Catmint 'Walker's Low': 24 in tall and 2½ ft wide, in flower mid May to mid September.
- Garden chrysanthemum: 24 in tall and 24 in wide, in flower mid September to late October.
What does colchicum 'Waterlily' look like in winter?
Colchicum 'Waterlily' is underground: it dies back after flowering and waits as a bulb until spring. Mark where it is, so a fork does not find it first.
More Colchicum
- Meadow saffron Colchicum autumnale
In these guides
Every fact on record
- Type
- Bulb
- Size
- 6 in (15 cm) tall, 10 in (25 cm) wide
- Plant
- 8 in (20 cm) apart
- Height class
- Ground-hugging (up to 6 in)
- Place in the bed
- Front
- Flowers
- Mid September to mid October; open bowls; pink, lavender
- Leaves
- Bold texture, summer-dormant; green
- Shape
- Mounding, clumping
- Hardy in
- USDA zones 4 to 8
- Light
- Full sun, part sun
- Soil
- Average, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Feeding
- None needed
- Family
- Colchicaceae
Checked against ASPCA poison lists. Flowering times are for zone 5: later in colder zones, earlier in warmer ones. Toxicity and spread information is a general gardening guide, not veterinary or medical advice, and invasive status varies by region. If a person or pet eats a plant, contact poison control or a vet. Check your local invasive species list before planting anything with a spread warning.