Early crocus
An early Balkan crocus that naturalises in lawns; at winter's end it gives bees plenty of orange pollen and nectar to start brood rearing.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Good
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Pollen colour
- Height
- 0,07-0,1 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Early crocus is a plant of Balkan woods and meadows stretching from Croatia to Bulgaria; in Europe it seeds itself in parks and lawns, forming carpets of millions of flowers. The orange stigmas and anthers in its pale lilac flowers give plenty of pollen, and nectar also collects at the base of the flower tube.
Flowering
The flowers open between February and March on sunny days above 8-10 °C and close in cloudy weather. It is among the first major sources to coincide with the bees' cleansing flights.
Honey and pollen
It makes no contribution to honey production; its value is the pollen that starts spring brood rearing. The pollen loads are bright orange.
Note for the beekeeper
Planting bulbs in the lawns around the apiary in autumn and not mowing until the leaves turn yellow provides a lasting early source. In Turkey native crocuses (Crocus ancyrensis, C. chrysanthus, C. biflorus) fill the same role.