The golden crocus (Crocus chrysanthus) is commonly called snow crocus because it is one of the earliest crocuses to bloom (late winter to early spring around the time of snowdrops).
Native to the Balkans and Turkey, it bears, vivid orange-yellow bowl-shaped flowers, with a mild honey fragrance, and sometimes with maroon marking on the outside. The golden crocus has smaller corms and a smaller flower than the giant Dutch crocus (Crocus vernus), although it produces more flowers per bulb than the latter. Its narrow, grayish leaves emerge at the same time as the flowers.