SimplePlant

Colchicaceae

Autumn crocus

Colchicum autumnale L.

Family
Colchicaceae
Genus
Colchicum

Pets and kids

  • CatsToxic
  • DogsToxic
  • KidsToxic
Why

Cats: Toxic

Toxic to cats (severe). Toxic principle: Colchicine and other alkaloids.

Signs: Bloody vomiting, Diarrhea, Shock, Multi-organ damage, Bone marrow suppression.

Dogs: Toxic

Toxic to dogs (severe). Toxic principle: Colchicine and other alkaloids.

Signs: Bloody vomiting, Diarrhea, Shock, Multi-organ damage, Bone marrow suppression.

Kids: Toxic

Toxic to young children (severe). Toxic principle: Colchicine.

Signs: Bloody vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal cramping, Shock, Multi-organ damage.

Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale)
FlowerPhoto: Markus Krieger, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Is Autumn crocus safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Autumn crocus safe for cats?

No. Our sources call Autumn crocus toxic to cats (severe). Toxic principle: Colchicine and other alkaloids. Signs: Bloody vomiting, Diarrhea, Shock, Multi-organ damage, Bone marrow suppression.

Is Autumn crocus safe for dogs?

No. Our sources call Autumn crocus toxic to dogs (severe). Toxic principle: Colchicine and other alkaloids. Signs: Bloody vomiting, Diarrhea, Shock, Multi-organ damage, Bone marrow suppression.

Is Autumn crocus safe for kids?

No. Our sources call Autumn crocus toxic to young children (severe). Toxic principle: Colchicine. Signs: Bloody vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal cramping, Shock, Multi-organ damage.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Common names

By language (55)
Albanian
Xherrokulli
Amharic
ቡክቡካ
Arabic
لحلاح خريفي, سورنجان خريفي, اللحلاح, خمل, خميرة العطار, سورنجان, عكنة
Armenian
Շնդեղ աշնանային
arz
لحلاح خريفى
Asturian
Espantapastores
Azerbaijani
Payız vaxtsızçiçəyi
Basque
Azpelar
Belarusian
Познацвет асенні, Познацьвет асеньні
Bulgarian
Обикновен мразовец, Есенен минзухар, Кърпикожух, Обикновен колхикум
Catalan
Còlquic
Chinese
秋水仙
Croatian
Mrazovac
Czech
Ocún jesenní, Hacoun, Holopanna, Naháč, Naháček, Sirotka
Danish
Høst-Tidløs
Dutch
Herfsttijloos, Herfststijlloos, Wilde herfsttijloos
English
Autumn crocus, Meadow saffron, Naked lady, Naked ladies
Esperanto
Aŭtuna kolĥiko
Estonian
Harilik sügislill
Finnish
Syysmyrkkylilja, Alastonimpi
French
Colchique d'automne, Colchique dautomne
Galician
Cólquico, Tollemerendas
German
Herbst-Zeitlose, Herbstzeitlose, Teufelswurz
Greek
Κολχικό το φθινοπωρινό
hsb
Nazymska pózdnička, Jědojty pózdnik, Nahula, Nječasnica, Pózdnja holčka
Hungarian
Őszi kikerics
Irish
Cróch an fhómhair
Italian
Colchichum autumnale, Colchico autumnale, Colchino, Colchico autunnale
Japanese
イヌサフラン, コルキカム, コルチカム, コルヒカム, コルヒクム, コルヒクム子, コルヒクム根
Korean
콜키쿰
ksh
Kokokköl
Kurdish
Gulemî, گولەمی
Latvian
Rudens vēlziede
Lithuanian
Rudeninis vėlyvis
Macedonian
Есенски мразовец
nds
Nakend wiefjen
Norwegian Bokmål
Tidløs, Tidlaus
Norwegian Nynorsk
Tidlaus, Naken jomfru, Tidløyse, Hausttidlaus
os
Уазалы малусæг
Persian
زعفران مرغزار
Polish
Zimowit jesienny
Portuguese
Açafrão-do-prado
Romanian
Brândușă de toamnă, Brânduşa de toamnă, Brânduşă de toamnă, Brândușa de toamnă, Brînduşă de toamnă, Brîndușă de toamnă
Russian
Безвременник осенний
Serbian
Мразовац
Slovak
Jesienka obyčajná
Slovenian
Jesenski podlesek
Spanish
Chicolquicos, Colchico, Colchico que mata, Cólchico de otoño, Acefrán, Azafrán, Azafrán bastardo, Azafrán silvestre
Swedish
Tidlösa, Hösttidlösa, Nakna jungfrun, Vanlig tidlösa
Thai
เมโดว์แซฟฟรอน
Ukrainian
Пізньоцвіт осінній, Дикий шафран, Зимовик, Морозець
Vietnamese
Bả chó, Cây bả chó
Walloon
Coltchike
Welsh
Saffrwm y ddôl
Western Frisian
Wylde hjerststyleas

Synonyms

  • Bulbocodium antumnale (L.) Lapeyr.
  • Bulbocodium autumnale Lapeyr.
  • Colchicum autumnale f. bulgaricum (Velen.) Domin
  • Colchicum autumnale f. macropetala Gajic
  • Colchicum autumnale f. milosi Gajic
  • Colchicum autumnale f. pannonicum (Griseb. & Schenk) Domin
  • Colchicum autumnale f. radei Gajic
  • Colchicum autumnale f. transsilvanicum (Schur) Domin
  • Colchicum autumnale prol. vernale (Hoffm.) Rouy
  • Colchicum autumnale subsp. pannonicum (Griseb. & Schenk) Nyman
  • Colchicum autumnale subsp. vernum (Reichard) Nyman
  • Colchicum autumnale var. album Gray
  • Colchicum autumnale var. bulgaricum (Vel.) Stoj. & Stef.
  • Colchicum autumnale var. elatius Simonk.
  • Colchicum autumnale var. major Tubergen
  • Colchicum autumnale var. pannonicum (Griseb. & Schenk) Baker
  • Colchicum autumnale var. pictum Lej. & Courtois
  • Colchicum autumnale var. serotinum Gray
  • Colchicum autumnale var. speciosissimum Bubela
  • Colchicum autumnale var. transsilvanicum (Schur) Nyman
  • Colchicum autumnale var. vernale (Hoffm.) Nyman
  • Colchicum autumnale var. vernum Reichard
  • Colchicum autumnale var. viridiflorum Opiz
  • Colchicum borisii Stef.
  • Colchicum bulgaricum Velen.
  • Colchicum commune Neck.
  • Colchicum crociflorum Sims
  • Colchicum doerfleri var. orientale Kitanov
  • Colchicum drenowskii Degen & Rech.f. ex Kitan.
  • Colchicum orientale Friv. ex Kunth
  • Colchicum pannonicum Griseb. & Schenk
  • Colchicum polyanthon Ker Gawl.
  • Colchicum praecox Spenn.
  • Colchicum rhodopaeum Kov.
  • Colchicum transsilvanicum Schur
  • Colchicum turcicum subsp. pannonicum (Griseb. & Schenk) Nyman
  • Colchicum vernale Hoffm.
  • Colchicum vernum (Reichard) Georgi
  • Colchicum vranjanum Adamovic ex Stef.

Flowers

In flower
August to October (from 1,674 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

More in Colchicum

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.