They make the gray and dreary spring more colorful because their flowers add splashes of purple, white or yellow to the landscape. No matter how beautiful they are, they shouldn't be picked
Are crocuses protected because of their importance for the bee world?
Crocuses are protected because they are important early bloomers for the bee world and provide valuable nectar and pollen. Crocuses that occur in nature must therefore not be picked, dug up or destroyed in order to ensure the protection of bees.
Are crocuses protected?
This iris plant is classified underNature Conservation. This means you are not allowed to collect it, dig it up, or destroy it. If you are caught doing this, you could face high fines.
Why are crocuses important and protected?
Crocuses are early bloomers and are important for thebee world They bloom between February and March. Only a few other plants bloom at this time. Even in ice and snow, the flowers often stand bolt upright and shine completely unaffected by the cold. Bees that are already willing to fly find valuable nectar and pollen in crocuses. Crocuses, along with other early bloomers such as snowdrops and hyacinths, are the first source of food for bees.
Are you not allowed to pick all the crocuses?
Only the crocuses that are innature, i.e. outside your property, may not be picked. So if you find crocuses like the spring crocus or the beautiful elf crocus in a meadow in the park or on the side of the road, leave them alone. However, if you have planted crocuses in your garden or in a pot on the balcony, you can theoretically handle the plants as you please and even pick them. But be careful: they are poisonous!
What can be done to promote the spread of crocuses?
Thecultivationand the subsequent propagation of crocuses in your own garden make sense to do something good for the bees. But that often doesn't help much if you destroy the early bloomers with a lawn mower before they bloom. So be sure tonotmowing crocuses in spring when using a lawnmower.
Tip
It's better to leave the crocuses standing
It's not worth picking crocuses, even if they seem like they were made for a small vase. On the one hand they are poisonous and on the other hand they do not keep in the vase. Their flowers would quickly droop.
