A cluster of Prairie Crocus in blossom. The parabolic shape of the petals captures warmth from the sun, allowing the flower to bloom very early. It can be as much as 10 C warmer in the centre of the bloom than the surrounding air.


Manitoba’s floral emblem, the prairie crocus


By Doug Collicutt


rie Museum to see the crocuses. The museum, on Ness Avenue in Winni- peg, is an urban nature park where 12 hectares of native tall grass prairie has been preserved — a small reminder of what the land looked like when bison roamed freely. One strolls along the trails amid last year’s brown grasses and glimpses the mauve petals and bright


O 12 • Fall 2016


ne ritual of spring for many Manitoba garden enthusiasts is a visit to the Living Prai-


yellow centres of prairie crocuses star- ing upward. After months of cold and snow, they


are true harbingers of spring. It’s no wonder that the First Nations people and then European settlers had such affection for this plant, and this must have played a role in the selection of the crocus as Manitoba’s floral emblem. It was officially declared such in 1906, after a vote among Manitoba school children.


The prairie crocus (Anemone patens),


as its scientific name implies, is really an anemone in the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family. Settlers called this plant a crocus because of its resem- blance to European crocuses, both in flower appearance and in early bloom- ing habit. However, European crocuses belong to the Iridaceae, the iris family. Unfortunately, there is still confusion between the two; it’s common to see local flower shows offering European


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