Bulbous perennial of the Iridaceae family, Crocus tommasinianus is native to the Balkans, mainly Dalmatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and southern Hungary, where it grows in open woods, edges, calcareous meadows, and open scrublands, at modest to medium altitudes.
The 'Lilac Beauty' cultivar is distinguished by its large flowers of a soft and bright lilac, slightly wider than the wild type, with a white throat and bright yellow anthers that create a sharp contrast at the heart of the flower. The outside of the tepals may show a slightly paler base. The leaves are narrow, linear, dark green marked with a silver median line, characteristic of the genus.
In its natural habitat, the flowering of the type species extends from February to March. In cultivation, 'Lilac Beauty' blooms early, often from late January or February depending on the climate, even before the foliage is fully developed.
It grows easily in well-drained soil, in full sun or under deciduous trees. It naturalizes readily and self-seeds, forming over time dense colonies that carpet the ground with a lilac sheet at the end of winter.