Crocus March 2009

[Sinchets]

Two more crocus from the bulb frame- both are also outside somewhere under snow and i hope to see them again soon.

[Sinchets]

A patch of Crocus pestalozzae in the open garden. The snow here melted around 12:30pm today and the crocus flowers were pressed tightly against the ground. The photo sequence shows pictures taken at 2:00, 2:30 and 3:00 pm and shows clearly a speedy recovery.
The 4th picture is of Crocus korolkowii post snowmelt. It first flowered 2 weeks ago, before the snowfall, and is now extending its second flower.

[Tony Willis]

Simon

interesting Crocus pestalozzae being blue,mine are all white.Do you know the origin of yours?

Three in flower today

Crocus biflorus ssp pulchricolor
Crocus veluchensis
Crocus pelistericus the first one in flower this year.

[Sinchets]

Hi Tony. It is the 'caeruleus' form and it came from Rare Plants originally. This was the first time i'd thought about checking if it was true- and it does have the dark spots inside that are supposed to be the species characteristic. Can I ask where your pelistericus came from?

[Tony Willis]

Simon

my pelistericus is from my own seed originally from Mt Kymachalan in Greece.I have been growing it for many years and have several generations coming on.

[Sinchets]

Thanks- it's on my list for places to visit this Spring/ Summer. Was it easy to find it in seed?

[Tony Willis]

Thanks- it's on my list for places to visit this Spring/ Summer. Was it easy to find it in seed?

It grows in millions so no problem if you are there at the right time which is probably mid summer. It flowers end of April/beginning of May

[Sinchets]

Thanks again for the info- looking forward to finding both Crocus pelistericus and C.scardicus to have a go at making hybrids 

[Lesley Cox]

Good luck with that Simon.

[Arda Takan]

Thanks again for the info- looking forward to finding both Crocus pelistericus and C.scardicus to have a go at making hybrids 

Have you ever tried hybridization before? I'd love to hear and watch your progress : )

[Sinchets]

The bees do most of the work here in the garden- but having seen the results of Crocus x goteburgensis (scardicus x pelistericus) online at Crocus x goteburgensis (scardicus x pelistericus) I'd love to try myself. 

[ian mcenery]

Tony love the C. pelistericus such a rich colour must be a magnificent show in the wild 

[Janis Ruksans]

Regardless of minus 6 C outside this morning I started to take off covering in my greenhouses. Found that all Central Asians are in full buds under glass-wool sheets as well as C. baytopiorum, Uschak Orange and some others. Several Iris reticulata hybrids (danfordiae x sophenensis) raised by Alan McMurtrie even opened flowers regardless of cover. Some light enters through 5 cm thick sheets. Still blooms 1 stock of Crocus biflorus melantherus which started in autumn as well as a pair of laevigatus but the last are not of so good shape as melantherus. Some of winter/spring colchicums continued/started blooming, too. The earliest form of Colchicum luteum shows nice bright golden buds.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Just few shots made few minutes ago
Janis

[Sinchets]

Janis - i knew that grow a lot of Crocus there- but i'd never appreciated how big your greenhouses were!