Arboretum Spotlight: Bright spot for fall

This is one part in a weekly series featuring the UC Davis Arboretum’s “40 Plants You (Probably) Have Never Heard of – But Will Love,” 40 can’t-fail, easy-care, low-water plants well adapted to our region but hard to find.

Autumn crocus

Sternbergia lutea

Size: 6 to 8 inches tall.

Bloom season: Golden yellow blooms in fall.

Exposure: Full sun.

Pruning needs: None; remove spent flower stems after bloom.

Water needs: Very low; no summer irrigation.

Snapshot: Want winter color with no summer water? This little bulb is for you. For the low-water garden, autumn crocus is a great choice. It grows its leaves in the winter season (when it – hopefully – receives rain), then drops its leaves during the dry summer season. Resting over summer, it bursts into bloom in September with much-needed golden fall color. A small bulb, it can be combined with winter deciduous perennials to create a year-round flower show.

For more on “40 Plants,” click on arboretum.ucdavis.edu.

This story was originally published June 26, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Arboretum Spotlight: Bright spot for fall."