Colochicum Autumnale
Autumn crocus

Naked Lady, The Dutch folk name of this plant, ‘tijloos’, is unusual. According to the Dutch Etymological Dictionary it has to do with the fact that I flower outside the usual season:

I bloom in late autumn, and my fruits arrive in spring. So I’m a ‘timeless’, ‘tijdloos’, plant whose name has corrupted to ‘tijloos’.

In other places in the Netherlands I’m known as ‘herfstbloem’, ‘herfstblôme’ or ‘haarfstblôme’ (autumn flower) for the same reason.

In Groningen they call me ‘bloem-zonder-blad’ (flower-without-leaves); my flowers bloom on a bare stalk long before I show any leaves.

In other parts of the country they have come up with lots of similar funny names: ‘kale juffer’ (naked damsel), ‘kale madame’ (naked lady), and ‘nakende wiefkes’ (bare wifey). In Utrecht they say ‘naakt mannetje’ (naked little man). Well, thanks very much!