Herb. No. 179 · Colchicaceae
European meadow Colchicum, a cottage-garden corm and a saffron lookalike.
Native · Europe
Native Also grown
LegalDeadlyplant
Autumn crocus
Colchicum autumnale
Naked ladies — a lilac autumn flower without leaves, deadly, and the saffron lookalike this folio exists to name.
Treat this as a poison-garden specimen. Read Safety before any use.
Colchicum flowers in autumn from bare soil, six stamens, no true saffron threads. Every part contains colchicine. A mistaken ‘saffron’ harvest from this plant has killed. Saffron (Crocus sativus) has three red stigmas and three stamens; Colchicum has six stamens and no culinary thread. This plate is teaching only.
Flavor
Do not taste. Bitter colchicine.
Parts used
None for self-care. Pharmaceutical colchicine only.
Helpful
- Teaches the saffron lookalike
Cautions
- Fatal at garden doses
- Looks like a crocus
- Delayed GI then organ failure