European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

This species is classed as Least Concern as it is widespread with stable populations in parts of its range and therefore the risk of the species going completely extinct in Europe is quite low.

The range of this species extends from Europe to the Mediterranean and into Iran (The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 2010).
It occurs in south France at one location in the area of l’Hérault, St-Paul-et-Valmalle, Languedoc-Roussillon. There are three different areas of several hundreds metres. In Greece, it is found mainly in the north and central part of the mainland (Pindos mountain range, Peloponnese) from 750 - 2,300 m asl. In Hungary, it is not rare in the Transdanubian Mountain Range, but very sporadic in the lowlands. There are approximately more than 100 localities. The Italian populations are found in the centre, south, and in Sicily. There are four to six localities in the central area, which are fragmented.
It occurs in southwest Slovakia, situated near the Hungarian Border, which forms the northern limit of its distribution. The only locality was discovered in 1976 in a hilly region.
In Moldova, it grows in the southern part of the country at four localities. In the Ukraine, it is found on the Crimean peninsula and is rare in the western part of the steppe zone in the Odessa region.

In France, there is one population with 100 individuals that is regularly monitored. The habitat of this plant is stable but vulnerable.
There is no population information from Greece but a decline is suspected. The Italian populations are stable but fragmented. In Slovakia, approximately 250 individuals have been counted with a suspected stable population trend. In Moldova, isolated plants can be found in an area of 100-200 m² and the number of plants is decreasing. In the Ukraine, the density of local populations is 5-20 individuals/m².

Sternbergia colchiciflora grows in grassland, on calcareous rocks, dry slopes, in open stony areas, clearings of Abies, Quercus or Fagus forests or forest margins, or in steppe communities (e.g. Festuco-Brometea class). It is usually found on limestone.
This plant flowers late in autumn and needs abundant rain, otherwise it is difficult to find if there is not much rain.

The main threats include natural succession, the invasion of Robinia sp. and Ailanthus sp., urbanisation, change of land use into agricultural land. Recreational activities such as hiking or motocross are affecting the habitat. Wild boars have been known for digging up the bulbs.

This plant is used for the ornamental trade and widely cultivated.

Sternbergia colchiciflora is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Several conservation measures are in place at national level and it is red listed in some countries:
France: under national protection, ex situ conservation is taken care off in Montpellier CEFE-CNRS. It would probably be classed as Endangered D.
Greece: not protected, but it is found in Natura 2000 sites and three national parks e.g Oiti, Parnis, Parnassos; taken for experimental gardens in University of Patras.
Hungary: protected and classed as Near Threatened on the red list, not in protected areas; cultivated in botanical gardens.
Italy: partially included in regional protected areas, classed as Least Concern on the red list.
Moldova: included in the Red Data Book of Moldova (2001) as Endangered and protected in the zakaznik Novo-Andrijachivka, and in an area of steppe vegetation in Bugeac; cultivated in botanical gardens.
Serbia: estimated to be Vulnerable (V. Stevanović pers. comm. 2010).
Slovakia: classed as Critically Endangered on the national red list, protected in a nature reserve. This species is rarely used from the wild but can easily be cultivated - ex situ conservation is carried out by two botanical gardens: Nitra and Bratislava.
Ukraine: included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009) as Vulnerable and protected in Jaltinskij reserve, Kazantipskij reserve and in Tarchankutskij national park in Crimea, and in the Staromazirskij botanical zakaznik in Odessa region; cultivated in botanical gardens.