Bulbous perennial of the Colchicaceae family, this horticultural cultivar is the result of selection and hybridization between several species of the genus Colchicum, whose geographical origins are mainly in the eastern Mediterranean basin and Asia Minor. As with all colchicums, the broad, shiny, lanceolate foliage appears in spring and disappears in early summer, giving way to a period of complete dormancy before the autumnal floral resurgence.
'Autumn Queen' is distinguished by its large, deep pink-purple flowers, with slightly pointed, slender tepals, finely veined with darker shades that give them a visual texture akin to damask. The long and graceful perigonial tube supports these flowers directly from the ground, without any foliar support, enhancing their spectacular and somewhat enigmatic character at the edge or in undergrowth.
In its original natural habitat, the flowering of the parent species extends from September to October; in cultivation, 'Autumn Queen' generally blooms from September to November depending on the climate. All parts of the plant are toxic.
It prefers well-drained, moderately fertile soil, in full light or light partial shade. Planted in groups in lawns, rock gardens, or at the foot of shrubs, it offers a luminous presence in a season when the plant palette is significantly reduced.