A crocus is part of the iris family of plants. It grows from a bulb-looking part of its stem called a corm. The corm is where the crocus stores nourishment to grow early each year. (Corms are not the same as bulbs.)

Crocuses are native to woodland and meadows from sea level to alpine tundra. They produce a short-lived blue to purple flower that comes out of a short stem.

A snowdrop comes into flower even earlier than the crocus, with small white flowers drooping from green stems. The snowdrop is a bulb.