Sternbergia lutea

Sternbergia are often mistaken for an autumn crocus and also known as the winter daffodil, this golden goblet flower is actually neither! Sternbegia lutea is in fact a bit of a one-man-band in a genus of its own – and while it’s in the same family as the daffodil, it does its own thing entirely. Flowering in autumn with its sunny upright blooms, this clump-forming variety will shine like a beacon in the garden amongst the warm autumn colours, and they’ll last right though to early winter. If you want to give Sternbegia lutea a buddy, partner it with colchicum, which is another autumn-flowering bulb with crocus-like blooms.

Sternbegia lutea need a sunny spot with free-draining soil, so are perfect for growing in pots or borders. If you have a rockery or gravel garden, that’s even better – they naturalise slowly over the years and look fantastic peeping through the cracks of a rocky planting scheme. Plant several bulbs in each planting hole to create the first initial groups, then enjoy as the clumps become more robust each year.