Crocuses are spirited little flowers, their small trumpets standing eager on impossibly frail tubes.
Orange or yellow stigmas and pollen-bearing anthers provide a fine contrast to the sheeny, iridescent petals.
The purple petals of this more unusual specimen has a lightly veined effect.
It’s always interesting to see crocuses just before the buds open when the flowers are protected by a pale covering, and it’s easier to make out the central white stripe on the strappy leaves.
Once open, they are fugacious – their flimsy flowers are no match for winter gales and wind, so soon become raggedy and drop exhausted to the ground.
The flowers’ frailness makes them unlikely to be picked. Gathering the first one would prove a disaster.
But were I a bee, out in winter sunshine, I know where I’d be heading.
Shared as part of Cee’s Flower of The Day
Susan Rushton 
Lovely. They’re such a fleeting pleasure, and already over for another year. Here,at least.
Those buds opened and looked great for well over a week, but I imagine this morning’s hailstones have done for them.
Hail? Oh nooooo.
They’re such a beautiful flower. Since picking them isn’t advised, I plucked a new word from your post, instead: ‘fugacious.’ At first I didn’t like it, but once I figured out it was reminding me of ‘pugnacious,’ I decided both words could fit the crocus. After all, it fights against winter to bloom in early spring.
It reminds me of fugative. Their bulbs are very persistent so I’d agree they are sturdy and pugnacious below, flimsy and fugacious above.
Wonderful, vibrant colors! Little spring beauties.
They are always very welcome.
They are lovely and as Margaret said, fleeting. Mine are already gone for another year. And I learned a new word!
I believe I still have some species ones but if so, they are still to raise their heads. I was inspecting for them yesterday. I haven’t given up hope but…
The common ones do seem to fare better. My snowbuntings seem to have disappeared. 😕
Beautiful
Thanks, Su.
Me too on the new word! Thank you! Of course I was fascinated by the tiny grove of white buds. And that one white crocus amid the backlit purples — it knows its worth! I have two whole crocuses that come up in the front; I’ve been watching for them but they usually wait until I’m not looking and then the pop up and bloom in a great gotcha!
I wondered if anyone would notice the white one. My species crocus are in hiding. If they have taken a peep this morning they no doubt decided it isn’t worth coming out in a hailstorm.
A hailstorm! No! I’m with the crocus on that — heads down until the weather is less rude.
So lovely. Beautifully photographed.
Thank you!
Such a lovely coincidence! I saw these flowers blooming outside my daughter’s school today, and we were both wonderning what they are called 🙂 Now I know 🙂
I’m glad the universe sent you the answer 🙂
Oh so pretty 🙂 I thought I had them bulbs mine were Daffodils & they are blooming this week here in NE Tennessee 🙂
Our daffodils are not too far off now.
Wonderful to take a closer look at them with you, Susan. Magical little things. I have a picture in memory of great swathes of them, tripping down a bank. Like a fanfare of Spring 🙂 🙂
I did think about including a picture of a patch of them, but decided it was a bit too blurry. Luckily you have one in your mind!
🤗💕
Lovely photos and apt descriptions
Thanks, Derrick.
Lovely photos of lovely flowers!
Thank you!