Crocus 'Queen Bee' is an unusual early-flowering crocus with distinctive bi-coloured flowers in rich maroon and warm yellow. Its bold combination of dark and bright tones makes it an eye-catching choice for adding colour to the garden during the latter part of winter and the beginning of spring.

Flowering from January through to March and growing to around 15cm tall, 'Queen Bee' is compact enough for rockeries, border edges and containers. Its flowers are smaller than those of the Dutch large-flowered crocuses, but they offer a much more unusual colour combination and look particularly effective when planted in groups.

• Variety: Crocus 'Queen Bee'
• Flower colour: bi-coloured maroon and yellow
• Flowering time: January-March
• Height: approximately 15cm
• Position: full sun or light shade
• Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
• Planting time: autumn
• Suitable for: borders, rockeries, containers and naturalising

About Crocus 'Queen Bee'

The main attraction of 'Queen Bee' is its distinctive two-tone colouring. Rich maroon combines with golden yellow to produce flowers that stand apart from the more familiar white, purple and plain yellow crocuses. The contrast is especially noticeable when several corms are planted together to form a small drift.

Slender, grass-like foliage appears alongside the flowers, keeping the overall appearance neat and compact. On bright days the blooms open to reveal their colourful interiors, while during dull or cold weather they remain more tightly closed.

Early Colour from January to March

Crocus 'Queen Bee' flowers between January and March, providing colour at a time when many garden plants are still dormant. The exact flowering period will vary according to weather and local growing conditions, but it is an excellent bulb for extending the spring display towards the beginning of the year.

Its rich maroon and yellow colouring works particularly well alongside pale crocuses in white, cream or soft blue. Alternatively, plant 'Queen Bee' by itself in larger groups to make its unusual colour pattern the focus of the display.

Growing Crocus 'Queen Bee' in the UK

Plant Crocus 'Queen Bee' corms during autumn in a position receiving plenty of winter and early spring sunshine. Full sun is ideal, although light shade beneath deciduous trees and shrubs is also suitable.

Choose fertile, well-drained soil and avoid positions that remain persistently waterlogged. If your garden has heavy clay soil, improving the planting area with grit can help provide the sharper drainage crocus corms prefer.

Ideal for Rockeries and Borders

At approximately 15cm tall, 'Queen Bee' is ideal for planting towards the front of borders or amongst low-growing plants in a rockery. Its compact habit means it can also be tucked between herbaceous perennials, flowering before neighbouring plants produce their main flush of spring growth.

Plant the corms in groups rather than as isolated specimens. A cluster of flowers produces a much stronger display and allows the contrasting maroon and yellow colouring to make a greater impact.

Growing Crocus 'Queen Bee' in Containers

Crocus 'Queen Bee' is well suited to pots, troughs and window boxes. Containers are particularly useful for displaying smaller crocuses because they allow the intricate flowers to be appreciated at close range.

Plant several corms together in good-quality, free-draining compost. 'Queen Bee' can be combined with miniature narcissi and other early bulbs, or mixed with contrasting white and blue crocuses for a varied spring container.

Naturalising Crocus 'Queen Bee'

'Queen Bee' can also be incorporated into informal bulb plantings beneath deciduous trees, along border edges and through areas of short grass where drainage is suitable. Plant the corms in irregular groups to create a more natural appearance.

After flowering, leave the narrow foliage in place until it has yellowed and died back naturally. The leaves continue feeding the corm after flowering and help build the energy reserves needed for the following year's growth.

Early Flowers for Pollinators

Early crocuses are useful additions to wildlife-friendly planting schemes. Their flowers can provide pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinating insects emerging during mild spells in late winter and early spring.

Growing several different crocus varieties can help provide a succession of flowers, while also creating an attractive mixture of colours across the garden.

After Flowering

Once established, Crocus 'Queen Bee' requires little maintenance. Allow the foliage to die back naturally and avoid cutting it while it is still green. Once dormant, the corms can generally remain undisturbed in the soil until growth begins again.

In suitable conditions, established groups can return each spring, providing an increasingly attractive display of early-season colour.

Why Grow Crocus 'Queen Bee'?

• Distinctive bi-coloured flowers
• Unusual combination of maroon and yellow
• Early flowering from January to March
• Compact height of approximately 15cm
• Ideal for rockeries and border edges
• Excellent for pots and containers
• Suitable for informal and naturalised planting
• Provides useful early flowers for pollinating insects

With its unusual combination of rich maroon and warm yellow, Crocus 'Queen Bee' is a distinctive addition to an early spring bulb collection. Compact, colourful and easy to incorporate into borders or containers, it provides welcome interest from January through to March.