Tecophilaea cyanocrocus
"Chilean blue crocus"
Orders placed before 1 September 2024
You can expect your order in September 2024
Orders placed 1 September - 15 October 2024
You can expect your order in October 2023
Orders placed 16 October - 15 December 2024
You can expect your order within 10 business days
UK orders over £50
Free shipping
UK orders under £50
£4.99
Northern Ireland orders under £50
£5.99
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Description
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus, better known as the Chilean blue crocus, might sound exotic—and it is—but it’s also perfectly at home in a well-tended British garden. This rare little gem produces intensely vivid, sky-blue flowers with dark blue to purple lips and a central white flash that looks hand-painted. Perched atop slender stems and flanked by narrow, greyish-green leaves, each solitary bloom stands proudly upright, measuring a dainty 3–4cm wide. Despite its modest stature, Tecophilaea cyanocrocus packs a real visual punch—like a splash of alpine sky right at your feet.
Not just a pretty face, this blue wonder holds the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, a nod to both its beauty and gardenworthiness. Tecophilaea cyanocrocus thrives in well-drained soil and a sunny, sheltered spot—ideally somewhere you’ll catch its early-spring show up close. It’s perfect for pots or raised beds where drainage is sharp and admiration is guaranteed. And while the Chilean blue crocus—what's in a name—may have aristocratic roots in the Chilean Andes, Tecophilaea cyanocrocus is happy to grace British gardens with its cool tones and rare charm. For lovers of the unusual and the exquisite, this one’s a keeper.
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus, once thought extinct, was rediscovered in Chile in 2001 and survived thanks to British enthusiasts who patiently propagated and acclimatised it in alpine houses.
Key features
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Good for cutting
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Perfect for pots
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Comes back every year
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Fragrant
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Loved by pollinators
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Naturalising
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Great for shade
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Packed in paper bags
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Low maintenance
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RHS Award (AGM)
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Fully hardy
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Rodent resistant
Specs & details
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Botanical name
Tecophilaea cyanocrocus
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Flower colour
Blue
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Bulb size
6/+
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Established height
5-10cm
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Established spread
5-10cm
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Plant spacing
100 bulbs per m2
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Leaf colour
Green
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Habit
Upright
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Life cycle
Perennial
Naturalising -
Hardiness
Fully hardy
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Years to establish
1st year
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Sunlight
Partial shade
Dappled shade
Full shade -
Position
Sheltered
Exposed -
Suitable for
Pots
Large containers
Borders
Ground cover
Meadows
Woodland gardens
Cottage gardens
Cut flower Gardens
Low maintenance gardens -
Soil acidity
Any
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Soil moisture
Damp
Free draining -
Soil type
Loam
Sandy
Clay
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost -
Growing skill
Easy to grow
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Scented
Yes
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Pollinator-friendly
Yes
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Mouse resistant
Yes
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Rabbit resistant
Yes
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Deer resistant
Yes
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Toxicity
Skin/eyes irritant
Harmful if eaten
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- Planting
- Flowering
Useful information
-
Orders placed before 1 September 2025
You can expect your order in September 2025Orders placed 1 September - 15 October 2025
You can expect your order in October 2025Orders placed 16 October - 15 December 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days
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