Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Crocus => Topic started by: Yann on January 14, 2021, 01:13:25 PM
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Last year there was a single thread with seasonal posts and i think it's a good idea to gather photos in one thread.
Here's the first of 2021, Crocus sieberi subsp atticus, i sown in august 2016 from seeds i collected on Mt Parnitha, GR.
Those in the garden are still in the cold mud but in the greenhouse it's a wake up for many species.
As some may know i've planted 90% of my collection in the garden, growing them in the greenhouse was more and more challenging with the spring and summer heat.
I still keep few pots of each species as a backup in the greenhouse and bring pots back in the garage during summer period.
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Yesterday came forecasted frost - in night temperature can drop here to minus 15-18 C, so a day beforeI used 4 hours for covering of my raised beds with 5 cm thick glass-wool sheets. But 2 pots with early running Iranian crocuses I brought inside to force flower opening and then back to poly-tunnel under cover.
The first two pictures are of Crocus iranicus type gathering from near Saqqez city during my first Iranian trip in 2012
The other two picturesa are from crocus collected near so named "Anemone field" (40 km S from Saqqez) and most likely are the same Crocus iranicus.
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Those in the garden are still in the cold mud but in the greenhouse it's a wake up for many species.
As some may know i've planted 90% of my collection in the garden, growing them in the greenhouse was more and more challenging with the spring and summer heat.
I still keep few pots of each species as a backup in the greenhouse and bring pots back in the garage during summer period.
Now I'm bringing a lot of pots from greenhouse to partly shaded pot outside. Started with Crocus abantensis but now outside during summer hot are brought almost all high altitude and all forest species. Crop immediately increased. Only windflowers (Anemone nemorosa & ranunculoides) stay inside to protect against Dumontinia. They didn't suffer from hot and drought.
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Crocus Iranicus is a very attractive Crocus Janis !
Crocus nivalis only opened on the window sill...
Same for Crocus bowlesianus who had received an unwanted visitor... :-\
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lovely, the slug is so shy i can't see it ;)
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lovely, the slug is so shy i can't see it ;)
I looked for it, bt without succes... I think the damage already happened in the bud stage... >:(
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Today. Unfortunately, the föhn storm blew the flower a bit
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My bulb collection has been relocated to my new home in Wales. So far the crocuses seem happy and as the last of the autumn species, Crocus laevigatus finished flowering, the first of the 'Spring' species opened on Christmas Day. This was Crocus suaveolens which more typically starts in January, the main flush looking good today.
A number of forms of the 'sieberi' group have also made an early start. Pictured below are forms of Crocus atticus, Crocus nivalis, Crocus sublimis and Crocus nivalis.
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Continuing mostly in the 'sieberi' group.
Crocus rujanensis, a uniform seed raising . I find these often breed variable from home produced seed and suspect they cross with others in this group.
A large flowered from of Crocus sublimis, another variable taxon.
A seedling ex Crocus atticus, very special with yellow flowers, the outer petals strongly flushed purple. I have had two such occur, from seed raising in different years but the seed lines of both can be traced back to a seed collection made in Greece in 2000 by Steve and Val Keeble.
Odd one out is Crocus gargaricus, bright yellow.
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Great photos, Tony!
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Some from the biflorus group.
edit - Labelled as Crocus alexandrii is in fact another biflorus type from a sowing made in the days when many of these were called 'isauricus'
Crocus mediotauricus. Came to me as sp HK 0112 from Thomas Huber. Looking that collection up it seems it has been defined as Crocus mediotauricus.
Crocus kerndorffiorum. Raised from seed sown in 2018 received from Gothenburg BG
Crocus kerndorffiorum x leichtinii. This form as been in cultivation for a while and shows the vigour associated with a good hybrid, multiplying quite quickly. It's small and delicate and flowers early so while it might grow outside, it's likely to be best given some protection.
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the first of the season, a bit damaged by heavy rains
Crocus pseudonubigena and bowlesianus
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Continuing mostly in the 'sieberi' group.
Crocus rujanensis, a uniform seed raising . I find these often breed variable from home produced seed and suspect they cross with others in this group.
A large flowered from of Crocus sublimis, another variable taxon.
A seedling ex Crocus atticus, very special with yellow flowers, the outer petals strongly flushed purple. I have had two such occur, from seed raising in different years but the seed lines of both can be traced back to a seed collection made in Greece in 2000 by Steve and Val Keeble.
Odd one out is Crocus gargaricus, bright yellow.
Especially interesting is ex atticus!
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Some from the biflorus group.
Crocus alexandrii. A very dark coloured form that was gifted to me by Lesley Cox
Crocus mediotauricus. Came to me as sp HK 0112 from Thomas Huber. Looking that collection up it seems it has been defined as Crocus mediotauricus.
Crocus kerndorffiorum. Raised from seed sown in 2018 received from Gothenburg BG
Crocus kerndorffiorum x leichtinii. This form as been in cultivation for a while and shows the vigour associated with a good hybrid, multiplying quite quickly. It's small and delicate and flowers early so while it might grow outside, it's likely to be best given some protection.
Tony, It is not alexandrii! C. alexandrii never has yellow throat.
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Crocus bayotiporum was very early this year. Pitty it was the darkest time of the year.
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Crocus yakarianus started blooming, when a cold front came and the temperatures went down to -10 °C. So I decided to bring the Crocus yakarianus in the house to enjoy the flower.
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Crocus tauricus two clones start to flower.
thx to Janis for this beatuful plants :-)
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Crocus corsicus, on the island it'll bloom in 3-4 weeks.
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Crocus seisumsiana
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Tony, It is not alexandrii! C. alexandrii never has yellow throat.
Thank you Janis - you are right. It's a biflorus seedling from the days when half of them were called 'isauricus' ::) I realised my mistake yesterday when I brought the plants indoors for some warm and picture taking. Now there are other forms in flower too.
I was fooled by the almost entirely dark outer petals which Lesely's form also has. It's just starting to flower now - hopefully pictures follow soon.
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Especially interesting is ex atticus!
There are three shoots in this pot this year - I live in hope of increase!
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Lots f different forms of Crocus sieberi are at their best in the Welsh west coast sunshine this week SOooo much variation both of the outer petal markings and the inner ones too. A selection here including a pure white seedling that seems to be increasing and one with very dark outers and a nice notch on the inners, also looking good for increase this year. Each of the last two are in a pot where others from the same sowing have different markings. I will separate them in the summer.
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More variation in Crocus sieberi .... and promise of more to come as not only my paintbrush but also the bees have been busy :)
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Crocus cvijicii. I have several pots of this now and it usually sets some seed so as the number of flowers increases I am confident there will be more seed to come.
Crocus danfordiae. A burnished gold form with grey stippling on the outside which comes easily from seed. It's half way in size between the other danfordiae I grow and Crocus chrysanthus and given it's relative vigour I wonder if it's a hybrid of cultivation ..... but then it's uniform which suggests not. Thoughts anyone? I raised the original plant from seed a few generations back.
Crocus tommasinianus 'Wandering Minstrel' a gift from John Grimshaw maybe 25 years ago. It increases well and does ok in the garden as one might expect.
On the warmest day of the year so far (it's gone cold again now) the massed crocuses were looking pretty fine :)
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Crocus cvijicii. I have several pots of this now and it usually sets some seed so as the number of flowers increases I am confident there will be more seed to come.
I'm not sure, and still not officially published, but it seems that Greek cvijicii will be renamed as new species C. gramensis. I have "cvijicii" from Mt. Grammos and it looks identical with other deep yellow "cvijicii" from Greece. This year I hope to see my own gatherings of cvijicii from Mt. Seli in bloom. If they will be same as sample from Grammos - then most of Greek cvijicii must be renamed and as true cvijicii will remain plants from N. Macedonia, locus classicus of cvijicii, with pale yellow to almost white flowers.
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The Crocus cvijicii Rainbow Gold inspires with its unusual colors.
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A watercolor!
Crocus tommasinianus a more common one under shiny weather
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First post ever.
Really enjoying the sun and so is crocus danfordiae. Might be ‘just dutch stock’ but I like them.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures.
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Ok learning.
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Crocus danfordiae. A burnished gold form with grey stippling on the outside which comes easily from seed. It's half way in size between the other danfordiae I grow and Crocus chrysanthus and given it's relative vigour I wonder if it's a hybrid of cultivation ..... but then it's uniform which suggests not. Thoughts anyone? I raised the original plant from seed a few generations back.
F-1 hybrids can be uniform, saw their seeds and check how seedlings will look. In good conditions danfordiae will bloom in 3rd year.
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Two days ago we had minus 22 C, yesterday minus 3 and I took off winter cover from my beds in greenhouse. Today garden still is full with snow, temperature outside +5, in greenhouse +8 C. Checked plantings - a lot of crocuses started blooming but due lacking of sun stay in buds. Unpleasant surprise observed for the first time was Fusarium nivale - started on cataphylls and killed leaves going down to corm. Fortunately only some 15-20 plants had such damage, what is 0.000... percents of planted number.
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And some crocuses - the first two pictures could be Crocus iranicus as sample comes from locality not very distant from its locus classicus, but identity still is not checked.
Then surprisingly early blooming Crocus atticus from locality just near Athens
And as last is Crocus mysius - looks just as mysius, but collected quite far from locus classicus at place where according HKEP another species must grow.
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Really beautiful crocusses, Janis
The wheather here has changed from dutch winter, -10C at night and skating last weekend to +15C this weekend. Today crocus angustofolius, fleischeri and biflorus where in a hurry. A nice surprise.
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Some actual pictures of C.tommasinianus from the meadow near to our meadow garden:
The unusual warm weather (up to 20°) was the reason for this opulent flowering.
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My favourite seedling this year.
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Crocuses are flowering everywhere in the garden, photos accumulate on the computer but are few ones.
Crocus olivieri ssp. balansae
Crocus concinnus
Crocus chrysanthus 'Goldilocks'
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Flowering now, Crocus cvijicii (or should I now say C. gramensis?) ex Mt. Vermion, from seed from the late Marcus Harvey, sown October 2015.
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Flowering now, Crocus cvijicii (or should I now say C. gramensis?) ex Mt. Vermion, from seed from the late Marcus Harvey, sown October 2015.
Well done Matt!
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I've been browsing this thread getting steadily more envious! Finally we had some nice spring sunshine allowing the Crocus to open before they get flattened by wind and rain.
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'Yalta'
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not sure which this is - maybe Cream Beauty?
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C. flavus I think - it was here when I moved in.
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again no label, but very pretty!
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Crocus sieberi f. tricolor (or whatever it's called these days).
... just checked and it seems to be sublimis 'Tricolor' at the moment?
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I don't know what this white crocus is - another commercial clone I expect - but it's very lovely.
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Crocus heuffelianus 'Shock Wave'
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Crocus tommasinianus 'Claret', from Susan Band.
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Crocus heuffelianus
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Lovely pictures Tristan. I've got Yalta open here and love the silvery petal backs. Yours looks nice against the rock.
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Hi Gail yes, it's like two crocus for the price of one. Most of them have to be quite carefully sited where they can catch spring sunshine but this one is a bit more forgiving.
Matt I love your cvijicii!
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Tristan, C.tommasinianus 'Claret' is very nice colour! Different forms of C.heuffelianus are my favourites now. I have hoped to get seeds from mine, but they have never had seed pods, so far,
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I just cross pollinated mine Leena. It's still quite early for insects (though a few bees have been around lately). I really like heuffelianus too and it seems to be establishing here. It does seem to do best in quite a sunny spot though.
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Crocus 'Firefly' (is this an atticus?). I planted a load of these in the meadow area in autumn, but I must say I find the colour a little disappointing.
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Crocus tommasinianus 'Roseus'. This is easy for me but it's very early and so can miss the sunshine.
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Another nice form of C. tommasinianus which is probably the easiest garden crocus here. A benefit of lockdown is that I get to enjoy the crocuses a lot more - normally I am at the office when they open in the sun, but working from home I can just take a 10 minute break in the garden.
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Lovely pix, Tristan- I call that Crocus sieberi atticus 'Firefly' - and it's one of my favourites for doing so well in the garden.
I wonder how many people are able to see so much more in the life of their plants while working from home? I expect there are plenty who have scarcely noticed the passing of the seasons untill it was "forced" upon them - we gardeners are at a real advantage here!
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Yes, it is possible, that there have not been enough pollinators when my crocuses have flowered. I should try to pollinate them myself.
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A new one for me this year - Crocus angustifolius bronze form from Pitcairn Alpines - very pretty.
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Crocus tommasinius albus. Got this a very long time ago - a miserable thing with small flowers and narrow petals but it is a survivor. I threw away the corms into rough grass and was surprised a few years later when I spotted the flowers.
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Hallo Croconuts!
wonderful crocus images from everybody. 8)
After some absence from the forum I'd like to share some images from my meadow and small cold frame.
I enjoyed the sunny warm late winter weather and with great pleasure to see, plenty of bees this year zealously collecting the flowers nectar.
I hope for a good seed set.
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continued...
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continued...
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continued...
C. atrospermus - sorry for the blurry image. It is seed raised and I have it some years. Pity only one sample is left over but flowering constantly each year.
C. abantensis and C. alexandri are seed raised and flower for the first time. Not the largests and nicest but anyhow! :)
C. graveolens smells ugly - even the bees dislike the smell!
C. nubigena is beautiful
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Thanks Armin. I'm intrigued by "C. graveolens smells ugly" and wonder what would pollinate it. I've only ever noticed bees on my crocus.
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Gail,
I have no idea which insects like the bad smell of C. graveolens. Maybe snails or such? I made the observation that no bees landed or touched the flowers. They approach and turned away once they smell them!
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continued...
C. nubigena - I like it!
C. tommasinianus - mix of all colors, mauve, pink, white, pictus type, roseus type
Seedling of cv. Eyecatcher - I like the cream yellow vs. white color of the original
C. vernus - this form appears now in several baskets as an impurity - I have no explanation of this. ;D
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Nice crocuses Armin. I'm intrigued by the C. tommasinianus to the right of the pot - has it emerged through the drainage holes and is then growing up the outside of the pot?
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Hi Tristan,
This pot of C. tommasinianus is about 5 years untouched. Yes, this crocus squeezed itself through the mesh of the basket.
Sometimes I'm wondered which ways the crocus shots take.
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Thanks Armin. I'm intrigued by "C. graveolens smells ugly" and wonder what would pollinate it. I've only ever noticed bees on my crocus.
Flies attracted to carrion or similar perhaps. What smells unpleasant to us may be nectar to some other beast ... as many a dog owner can testify :-)
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Almost ten minutes of Crocus Joy, in this video of visitors to Janis Ruksans' garden - the visitors have been sensible and followed Janis' plea to park on the main road to avoid the snowy road.....
Crocuses 2021 Women's Greeting -
Krokusi 2021 Sveiciens Sievietēm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqaf39tJ4uA
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Always surprises when you grow seed. Here Crocus rujanensis seedlings ex the Crocus Group flowering last week, some with odd smokey stem bases. Eyes on the one fore left with a very dark almost black flower base and the one just peeping up fore right at the pot edge with the dark base (I did a little digging) & a particularly strong flower colour. The smokey bases intrigue me, has anyone seen this in rujanensis? Possible hybridity?
johnw
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Crocus angustifolius 'Bronze Form'
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Crocus danfordiae is a very small and delicate but also very pretty crocus!
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A pretty pale yellow C. danfordiae, Ophrys!
It seems C. angustifolius 'Bronze Form' is developing greatly for you, Roma!
Mine split off in many tiny ones and show only leaves this season.
Today I can show only one image. Quite a surprise - C. heuffelianus sown in autuum 2015 as C. vernus... :)
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Looks like a good form of C. heuffelianus too Armin - a nice surprise at least.
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Hi Tristan,
thank you. It is pity that the pretty crocus flowers do not open for pollination @ 4°C/39,4°F outside temperatures.
Bringing in the pot into the bath room, like Janis is doing for hand pollination, is not possible.
I hope flower stems haven't flopped over till next week when weather forecast says 12-15°C / 53,6-59°F temperature.
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Armin, My Crocus angustifolius 'Bronze Form' were only planted last Autumn so they could easily split now and not flower next year.
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Armin, My Crocus angustifolius 'Bronze Form' were only planted last Autumn so they could easily split now and not flower next year.
Roma, I grant you the joy of abundant flowering - the next season will be a challenge to repeat the flowering success ;D
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Armin, yes it is a very nice pale yellow of Crocus danfordiae.
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A few pretty Crocus heuffelianus I can contribute too.
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Hallo Ophryrs,
very beuatiful - it resembles a bit cultivar 'Snow Princess' from Dirk Schnabel.
Are they offsprings?
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Ever wondered how serious and dedicated Janis Ruksans is about his Crocus collection and the recording and classification of his bulbs? Have a look at this, from Latvian TV, March 2021
https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/ieraksts/ltv/214555/aculiecinieks-iemileties-krokusa?fbclid=IwAR30hYV_E7Y_4yaaYSM-gBL79alC2e_RzvyzdHAmDIZXHea-7giNkreMtyw
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Maggi,
breathtaking and mouthwatering!
Thanks for sharing.
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Ever wondered how serious and dedicated Janis Ruksans is about his Crocus collection and the recording and classification of his bulbs? Have a look at this, from Latvian TV, March 2021
https://replay.lsm.lv/lv/ieraksts/ltv/214555/aculiecinieks-iemileties-krokusa?fbclid=IwAR30hYV_E7Y_4yaaYSM-gBL79alC2e_RzvyzdHAmDIZXHea-7giNkreMtyw
And here is an article in English on Janis - he says there are some mistakes but still good to read!
https://www.latvia.eu/blog/latvias-got-personality-botanist-janis-ruksans?fbclid=IwAR2w-uI-hp8D1NqUTpixzGGfp183Mj7POK091iioAZOHWLIJcwhKrcm4d8M
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Crocus pelistericus received as a bulbil from the Crocus Group seed Exchange 2019.
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Crocus tomoricus aff. In fact veluchensis with white stigma
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Crocus Negro Boy (if that is an acceptable name these days) ::)
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from the Ukrainian garden of Dimitri Zubov ...
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Crocus adamii, N Armenia
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Crocus alatavicus, Kyrgyzstan
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Crocus biflorus, W Iran
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Crocus michelsonii, Kopetdag, NE Iran & Crocus alatavicus, Kyrgyzstan
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Crocus tommasinianus Roseus
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Great series of photos of various species growing in Dimitri's garden. He must sure get around if he is responsible for wild plant/seed collection.
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Janis Ruksans has shared these photos of Crocus from his collection from March 2021 ....in no particular order.
The comments are by Janis
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Many ask - why stones and whether bulbs really grow in stones? The stones are only for mulch, about 1.5-2 cm thick layer and protect the ground from spillage by watering the pots.
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Some from Crocus chrysanthus allied species in garden
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Crocus baytopiorum TULA-002 has most unusual blue shade, no one another species has similar flower colour. Turkey.
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Crocus chrysanthus from Grammos mountains, Greece (19GRS-015)
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Crocus concinnus alba JATU-068, not far from Akseki, Turkey
Photos of other plants grown by Janis Ruksans are shown in this thread: https://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=18436.0
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Crocus gembosii selection #20-51
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Crocus mawii albino - Turkey
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Crocus muglaensis 14TUS-022, Turkey, Mugla province
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Crocus seisumsiana KJGR-088 from Samos Island, Greece
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Crocus ziyaretensis 14TUS-033 - from near Antalya, Turkey
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Crocus heuffelianus is very good grower and selfsowing in partly shaded spots if you are not making great 'autumn cleaning' and are leaving 'falling leaves' in situ.
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2 March- Crocus demirizianus was in full size buds since December
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Crocus henrikii SW Beyshekir
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Crocus mawii HKEP-0413 - received directly from Erich Pasche, although this season not very typical.
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Crocus mysius from Ulus Dag 13TUS-038 - one of very few species where anthers are shorter than filaments.
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some views of the crocus houses on March 2nd with some "socially distanced" visitors
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more from 2nd March
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Crocus gembosii selection 18-02
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Crocus gembosii Sunspot seedlings
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Crocus micranthus BATM-402Bc
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Crocus taseliensis RUDA-020
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A couple more views from inside the crocus house ..
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A couple from outside - old soil from pots is often thrown in garden, where missed seed or seedlings thrive. Also some plants not doing well are planted out to see how they do ....
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Crocus reticulatus s.l. in garden - not always good grower in pots and some poorly looking corms were thrown away but beautifully recovered.
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Here a pot was with poorly looking plants was emptied - now they look well! Crocus sieberi x Hubert Edelsten
".....some blooming starts in garden where was thrown away used soil mixes from pots (I try to repot all collection every year). Together with substrate goes away uncollected seeds, some escaped corm or bulb, some bulbs which looked unhealthy at repotting time. And then in some spots appear nice surprises"
back under cover ....
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Seedling of Crocus nubigena, most likely hybrid with another species
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March 4th:
"It was snowing at night. In the morning, the earth is covered by a 1-2 cm thick snow blanket, but in the greenhouse temperature is in all the time. Today again nice sun and crocuses and other spring flowers continue to bloom. Some are blooming but new ones are coming all the time.
Tonight again some snowing, but temperature in greenhouse didn't drop below zero. Still blooms a lot of crocuses and start blooming other bulbs, too."
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Crocus ruksansii from Karpathos Island, Greece. Described and named by my Ukrainian friend Dimitri Zubov.
First published in Int. Rock Gard. 90: [7] (2017)
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf
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Crocus tauricus - very dark form, originally collected in Crimea shortly before it was occupied by Russia
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Hybrid between Crocus reticulatus from Bessarabia and Crocus angustifolius from Crimea, Ukraine
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Crocus baytopiorum always has whitish throat
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Incredible selection from Crocus abantensis - by colour identical to unique C. baytopiorum (see previous picture). Separable only by throat colour.
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some from 15th March when the " nursery was visited by State ex-President Raimonds Vējonis. Day is partly sunny and crocuses nicely blooms as well as other bulbs. "
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Crocus sieberi x 'George' is later blooming mutation of famous cultivar 'Hubert Edelsten' selected by late Willem van Eeden from Holland. Earlier the difference in blooming time was just-just noteable, but this year 'Hubert Edelsten' was already out of flowers when 'George' only started blooming. Variety is named after famous Russian botanist George Rodionenko - monographer of the genus Iris.
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Crocus kurdistanicus from Iran
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Crocus antalyensis JATU-033 - from near Antalya
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Hybrid between Crocus gembosii x concinnus #20-53
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Crocus gemicii 14TUS-024, Turkey
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Crocus sarichinarensis R2CV-036 - found and published by me - Crocus sarichinarensis (Rukšāns) Rukšāns, World Crocuses 442. 2017.
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Hybrid between Crocus reticulatus and C. angustifolius - Crocus leonidii x 'White Splash' - from Gothenburg BG
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picture of hybrid between Crocus sieberi and C. gramensis raised by me. Hope it will increase by splitting.
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A seedling from Crocus heuffelianus Carpathian Wonder #21-04
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beautiful natural hybrid between Crocus alexandrii and Crocus chrysanthus
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Bright yellow Crocus gramensis from Greece which was regarded earlier as C. cvijicii.
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Crocus albiflorus - Jura mountains, Helvetia
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Crocus angustifolius 'Tiia ' - raised by Estonian gardener Sulev Savisaar and named after the bulb curator in Tartu Botanical Garden.
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Crocus antalyensis
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Crocus atticus in the garden - ( 6th March approx.) "When I turned my collection into "species of known origin" I threw away some of cultivated stocks of Dutch origin and here is one of such Crocus atticus deleted from greenhouse but planted into garden between Paeonia. Full with bees yesterday when was warmest day of this spring. Next week will come some cooling."
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Crocus balansae 17GRS - Samos Island, Greece
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Crocus balansae from Spilos mnt., W Turkey
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Crocus brickellii published as Crocus brickellii Rukšāns, Int. Rock Gard. 52: [7]. 2014. https://www.srgc.org.uk/genera/logdir/2014Apr241398370318IRG_Ruksans_Crocus_April_2014.pdf
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Crocus candidus 'Orangino' - found in wild by Ibrahim Sozen
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Crocus caricus 12TU-016 - SW Turkey
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Crocus cf. chrysanthus 13TUS-018 - Bozdag, W Turkey
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Crocus cf. iranicus, but could be new species, too - Iranian Kurdistan.
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Crocus cf. munzurense KPPZ-186B - Munzur Daģlari vicinity in Turkey
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Crocus cf. veluchensis from Katara pass, Greece
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Crocus cf. veluchensis from Kosovo
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Crocus cf. veluchensis from Serbia - light bluish form
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Crocus cf. veluchensis from ski-centrum Sers in Greece shows great variability in colour of throat.
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Crocus cf. veluchensis JKP 98-004 from Mt. Pilion, Greece
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Crocus chrysanthus RIGA-034 - Gevne Beli, Turkey
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Crocus concinnus JJVV-045-01 Gembos Yaila, Turkey
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Crocus danfordiae blue form from Norman Stevens
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Crocus danfordiae
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Crocus duncanii 15PTGS-026 with 8 flower segments from Portugal. Crocus duncanii described by Janis in IRG 73 : https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2016Jan281454019772IRG73.pdf
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Crocus fleischeri
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Crocus gembosii Aldurbe Yaila, Turkey (JATU-073)
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Crocus gembosii seedling 18-01
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Crocus gembosii Sunspot seedling almost identical with mother plant. The stock of this plant which is offered by few nurseries now seem to be virus infected.
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Crocus gramensis - N Greece
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Crocus gramensis seedling - I pollinated it with pollens from C. cf. veluchensis from Serbia. This seedling has very beautiful, unusual shade of yellow.
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Crocus gramensis
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Crocus harveyi, Plagia pass, Ikaria Island, Greece
Crocus harveyi Rukšāns, publ. by Janis Ruksans in Int. Rock Gard. 90: 18. 2017: http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf
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Crocus heuffelianus 'Carpathian Wonder'
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Crocus heuffelianus seedling from Taavi Tuulik #3 (Estonia)
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Crocus ionopharynx HKEP-0304
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Crocus jablanicensis from North Macedonia is one of the latest, easy identifiable by its white stigma. Last year some plants had yellowish stigmas, but this year all of them are with typically white stigmas
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Crocus kartaldaghensis HKEP-0101 - received from Erich Pasche
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Crocus korolkowii alba - found as single plant in Tajikistan by Sjaak de Groot
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Crocus korolkowii Alba received from Sjaak de Groot
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Crocus korolkowii 'Snow Leopard' - John Grimshaw's selection from C. korolkovii selfsown seedlings in his garden
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Crocus korolkowii seedling 18-01
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Crocus kosaninii flower with 8 flower segments
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Crocus kosaninii
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Crocus laevigatus from Isle of Naxos - spring blooming form
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Crocus leichtlinii
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Crocus mediotauricus 14TUS-034B but could be albino of Crocus henrikii. Was collected without flowers at locus classicus of Crocus henrikii ( https://www.srgc.org.uk/genera/logdir/2014Apr241398370318IRG_Ruksans_Crocus_April_2014.pdf )
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Crocus michelsonii
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Crocus olivieri ALBINA was found in Turkey by Ibrahim Sozen
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Crocus rhodensis - Rhodos Island, Greece
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Crocus ruksansii - described from Karpathos Island Greece) by my friend Dimitri Zubov in IRG 90 of June 2017: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Jun211498039508IRG_90_June.pdf
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Crocus sarichinarensis albino from Sarichinardag, not far from Antalya. Crocus sarichinarensis was discovered and published by me. At locus classicus on Sarichinardag I found one albino which turned out to be a good increaser. As related to C. flavus and mouradii it requires deep planting.
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Crocus sarichinarensis
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Crocus sieberi 18-02
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Crocus sieberi hybrid 'Creme Diamond' raised by Dirk Schnabel
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Crocus sieberi selection 18-04
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Crocus sieberi selection 19-01
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Crocus sieberi selection from wild - almost a copy of cv. Hubert Edelsten
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Crocus sieberi 'White Giant' - from Omalos Plain, Crete - flowers of huge size comparable with Dutch C. x cultorum flower size.
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Crocus sieberi x C. gramensis - I hope that this exceptional beauty will multiply by corm splitting.
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Crocus sublimis 'Tricolor' - one of the best crocus cultivars and one of very few foreign raised cultivars grown by me.
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Crocus taseliensis RUDA-008 - this picture shows variability of anther colour in this species.
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Crocus tommasinianus x vernus - Grimshaw seedling
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Crocus veluchensis x C. gramensis. Crocus veluchensis actually represents at least 2-3 different species. Plants from Serbia (and, possibly, Bulgaria) are making new roots before old ones die. I crossed them with C. gramensis and seedlings showing all spectrum of colours keeps this feature of very early rooting, whilst Crocus veluchensis from Greece roots much later.
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Crocus vernus from Helvetia shows variability of this species from pure white to lighter or darker striped lilac and deep purple
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Crocus vernus 'Purple Desire' was selected by Antoine Hoog in his bulb nursery in France
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Crocus yalovensis - publ. by Janis Ruksans in IRG March 2018 https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2018Mar291522354177IRG100.pdf
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Crocus yataganensis
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Crocus zetterlundii LST-103 - N. Turkey, E from Abant. Publ. by Janis Ruksans in IRG April 2015 https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Apr231429824727IRG64.pdf
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Crocus hybrid from cross - Crocus cf. veluchensis, Serbia x C. gramensis.
Crocus veluchensis actually represents at least 2-3 different species. Plants from Serbia (and, possibly, Bulgaria) are making new roots before old ones die. I crossed them with C. gramensis and seedlings showing all spectrum of colours keeps this feature of very early rooting, whilst Crocus veluchensis from Greece roots much later.
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F-2 generation seedling from Crocus malyi hybrid with unknown pollen parent. F-1 was found in Gothenburg BG and has blue flowers. It turned fertile and F-2 seedlings in my nursery showed that another parent could be C. heuffelianus or some related species.
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Fantastic hybrid from cross between Crocus sieberi x C. gramensis (pollen parent)
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This beautiful natural hybrid between Crocus alexandrii and Crocus chrysanthus was found on Mt. Falakro in Greece where both species are growing in mixed populations. I spotted two plants of hybrid origin the 2nd you can see as single flower in background
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One of my favorites now in its full beauty - Crocus gembosii seedling n21-07
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Only at the end March does Crocus pelistericus from Kaimahtalan start blooming - requires acid soil.
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Red Crocus!
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the red crocus ..... Dima asked me about the "red" crocus. It really is the mostly reddish toned, but it is shade of purple, not the red. It was spotted by Dima (and presented to me) on yaila in Crimea (Ukraine) - at this moment temporally occupied by Russia.
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Outside in the garden.....
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Crocus thirkeanus (former C. herbertii, C. gargaricus ssp. herbertii) are making side growing stolons. Cormlets are so tiny, that it is very difficult to collect them all, so it perfectly feels in outside beds where can grow for decades without any attention and are slowly spreading.
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Seedling from Crocus heuffelianus Carpathian Wonder # 21-01
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Selection 14-02 from Crocus sieberi from Omalos Plain in Crete
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Selection 20-15 from Crocus gembosii - a little later blooming and with most orange toned flowers
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Selection 21-21 from Crocus gembosii, Gembos Yaile, Turkey
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Selection from Crocus gembosii #18-07 - most likely hybrid with C. concinnus
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Selection of Crocus abantensis 'Azkaban's Escapee' - my real favourite.
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Selection of Crocus sieberi 18-01 - Omalos plain, Crete.
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Still are blooming very few of latest crocuses - this one is Crocus albiflorus TCH-3608 - from Switzerland, Engstlensee
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The darkest yellow Crocus danfordiae RUDA-099
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This was grown from seeds received by seed exchange from AGS as Crocus artvinensis
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True Crocus cvijicii 13MCY-058 from N Macedonia - one of the latest crocuses at end March.
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True Crocus cvijicii 13MCY-058 is pale yellow to almost white and growing only in North Macedonia
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Not just Iris then - what an incredible collection!
Is it just me or does a cultivar called 'Azkaban's Escape' make anyone feel old?
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Not just Iris then - what an incredible collection!
Is it just me or does a cultivar called 'Azkaban's Escape' make anyone feel old?
Surely that can't make a youngster like you feel old, Tristan?!!
edit ti add - Oh dear, I just looked up the year of that book and it appears to be 1982 :o :o So yes, I can see it would make you feel old!!(I was in my prime!!- she said, hoping no-one would notice that that now makes her an old lady!)
I've never read any Harry Potter books myself !( I'm too mean to buy them and when I tried to take them out of the library they were always already out on loan - in the end I gave up!)
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Maggi,
that Crocus artvinensis is nice! Never seen anything like it.
Mostly ordinary ones in my lawn :)
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Surely that can't make a youngster like you feel old, Tristan?!!
edit ti add - Oh dear, I just looked up the year of that book and it appears to be 1982 :o :o So yes, I can see it would make you feel old!!(I was in my prime!!- she said, hoping no-one would notice that that now makes her an old lady!)
I've never read any Harry Potter books myself !( I'm too mean to buy them and when I tried to take them out of the library they were always already out on loan - in the end I gave up!)
1982? That would be fine, I was 10! But according to my sources (a Prof. W. Pedia), the Prisoner of Azkaban was published in 1999. But maybe the Crocus is from 1982 and JK Rowling is a secret crocus lover? In fact... J R(owling) / J R(uksans)... it's got to be! ;D
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The books are quite fun by the way - not Great Literature by any means but a nice thing to read with children / grandchildren (delete as applicable). The earlier ones are more fun though, I found the later ones a bit verbose and po-faced.
And by the way, if we are looking at Harry Potter names, I think that extraordinary bluish C. baytopiorum could be called 'Veela'.
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What wonderful views in Janis's greenhouses, and all the different kinds. Thank you for showing them.
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Hi Maggi,
Thanks for posting Janis's pics...
I enjoyed them... And will probably go through them again later!
Tim DH
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A few more pix from Janis - he says " Blooming of crocuses practically ended, but in this entry I'm showing seedlings which are raised from Crocus heuffelianus, mostly with "blood" of cv. 'Carpathian Wonder' - this species good grower here in garden and well selfsowing if not great autumn cleaning in garden is realized.
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Crocus heuffelianus #1 - Taavi Tuulik
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Crocus heuffelianus #2 Taavi Tuulik
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Crocus heuffelianus #4 Taavi Tuulik
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Crocus heuffelianus Carpathian Wonder seedling 18-01
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Crocus heuffelianus 'Carpathian Wonder'
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more with C. 'Carpathian Wonder' connections ....
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Crocus heuffelianus 'Polar King'- raised by Eugenius Dambrauskas
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Crocus heuffelianus 'Snow Princess' - raised by Dirk Schnabel
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Seedling from Crocus heuffelianus Carpathian Wonder 21-02
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Seedling from Crocus heuffelianus Carpathian Wonder 21-03
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Seedling from Crocus heuffelianus Carpathian Wonder labeled as "Super improved"
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Well speechless, what a collection!!
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Many thanks Maggi for sharing my pictures. After brief look I found some from April which I can add here in two entries. Names under pictures.
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And few more
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This is nice for breakfast.
Thanks Maggi and Janis for sharing all the beatiful pictures.
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Crocus heuffelianus pictures posted earlier in April are so beautiful! It is one of my most favourite crocuses out in the garden.
I planted five bulbs from Janis in 2015, four came up in spring 2016 and now they have multiplied so well that I should have divided them already last year, and this year I must do it for sure.
All four are a bit different and my favourite is the palest one with white tips in the second picture. This is a really great crocus in the garden, not too big and pompous, and not too small, and so good increaser.
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Crocus cartwrightianus ex 'Halloween' SRGC Seedex 2015 sown 21-05-2016
cheers
fermi
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Crocus heuffelianus pictures posted earlier in April are so beautiful! It is one of my most favourite crocuses out in the garden.
I planted five bulbs from Janis in 2015, four came up in spring 2016 and now they have multiplied so well that I should have divided them already last year, and this year I must do it for sure.
All four are a bit different and my favourite is the palest one with white tips in the second picture. This is a really great crocus in the garden, not too big and pompous, and not too small, and so good increaser.
Wow Leena, that's a good rate of increase!
I don't find it increases as much as you do, but I have been getting some increase of late and am now getting quite a nice little clump. Which reminds me... must check the seedpods.
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Here I have never had seedpods in my C.heuffelianus. Just last week when I took those pictures I saw bumblebees in them, so pollination should not be a problem, but there are never seed pods. :( Maybe cold nights are the problem here. So, I'm very happy with them increasing with bulbs instead.
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Crocus cartwrightianus ex 'Halloween' SRGC Seedex 2015 sown 21-05-2016
cheers
fermi
Just collected seeds of this species, a favorite.
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The autumn season has almost started.
I have just discovered flower shoots on Crocus scharojanii seedlings from 2016
Poul
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Crocus gargaricus ssp gargaricus - the first pic taken yesterday,
cheers
fermi
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Crocus etruscus putting up its first flower. Seed from The Crocus Group 2016 sown April 2017.
Commercial stocks of this are mostly virused so I hope that I can keep this one "clean"!
cheers
fermi
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Pics of Crocus gargaricus ssp gargaricus, the first two in the morning and the others this afternoon.
I hope that the visitor in the last pic is ensuring some seed set!
cheers
fermi
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Pics of Crocus gargaricus ssp gargaricus, the first two in the morning and the others this afternoon.
I hope that the visitor in the last pic is ensuring some seed set!
cheers
fermi
Lovely pictures!
It is nice to see some spring Crocus
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Crocus scharojanii has started flowering today.
Sown 2016 and flowering for the first time.
Poul
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Crocus flavus - the same colour as the fallen Mexican Hawthorn fruit!
cheers
fermi
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Colchicums are harvested and some already blooms (C. parnassicum & paschei), some I started to re-pot. Always problems with re-potting of C. davisii due its corm shape. The "foot" (hypopodia) is quite brittle, but from it starts new growth and roots. Step by step I harvest and repot crocuses. Some made huge corms (Crocus hatayensis) and only 9 enter 15x15 cm large pot, some already formed new shoots (C. suworowianus), but some (mostly W Turkish annulate tunic species) grew quite moderately, but in general looks much better than last year regardless of smaller size.
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Apparently Janis only recently described this species, Crocus rhodensis, in The International Rock Gardener!
I received the seeds from Marcus Harvey via Jacqui Gulbis and sowed them in April 2018.
First flower opened today!
cheers
fermi
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Apparently Janis only recently described this species, Crocus rhodensis, in The International Rock Gardener!
I received the seeds from Marcus Harvey via Jacqui Gulbis and sowed them in April 2018.
First flower opened today!
cheers
fermi
Yes, indeed! In IRG 64 of April 2015: https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2015Apr231429824727IRG64.pdf 8)
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Today finished repotting of annulate crocuses, left only selected clones of hybrids between C. concinnus and C. gembosii. They grew well. Very interesting - the last species from this type of crocuses replanted were species with yellow flowers - quite recently all in general regarded as C. chrysanthus. So this allowed to compare C. chrysanthus sensu lato from Europe (Balcans) with those from Turkey. All European without exception dislike this season and formed small corms, all Turkish - grew perfectly. This is another feature confirming that Balcan and Turkish "chrysanthus" belong to different groups. And there are differences between Greek "chrysanthus", too - some has thin, papery tunics whilst from other localities tunic was hard, even woody.
Now I stopped harvesting and re-potting of crocuses and tomorrow will pot autumn blooming Colchicums. Some already formed long shoots and urgently must be potted. nd still must to harvest several hundred pots with Tulipa species before returning to crocuses. The first in line will be autumn bloomers. Most grew very well, but species from "speciosus" group and goulimyi made tiny corms and I almost lost nerimaniae and wattiorum. But in general I'm very satisfied - never before remember so healthy looking corms. Very few died and in general were damaged by some worm.
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autumn bulbs are quite ahead this year, goulimyi is already blooming in my garden!
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With me something late - C. scharojanii flavus only showed short tips. I'm still harvesting and repotting. Some species started forming of roots as small knots at base, but no real roots already seen. Growing very strange - some species excellent, some quite poor. I didn't include C. mathewii in my current offer due poor crop last year - but this year incredibly good harvest. In pictured pot (12x12x20 cm) were placed 5 medium sized corms and on picture you can see what I harvested. Crocus nudiflorus was included but crop was so poor, that I with great difficulties collected requested number of saleable corms. Important is pH of soil. Spain species and some other needs very acid substrate with pH 5-5.5 (I checked this in wild). Last autumn I potted 5 corms of Crocus clusii adding label "very poor, may be died", planted in very peaty soil with pH 5.0 and harvested huge very healthy corms! The first bloomed Crocus suworovianus. Overlooked pot with C. suworovianus harvested only today had very long shoots.
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Repotting of autumn crocuses approximates to finish. More than 3000 pots are repotted. Yesterday finished with "cancellatus" group. And there are several observations - Greek forms (C. mazziaricus) has short shoots, then in West and Central Turkey, shoots are already long and very long. Exception is C. lycius. Then forms from Syria, Israel again has short shoots, but those from Jordan - long. As I wrote before, regardless of difficult growing conditions, corms are surprisingly good and healthy. Exception is Crocus damascenus. There are a lot of losses and corms are small. But in all others repotted to this moment losses are surprisingly minor.
On pictures - huge corms of C. hatayensis - only 9 placeable in 15x15 cm large pot
Crocus scharojanii flavus - really more yellow than on picture, never succeed to get true shade on picture.
Crocus vallicola from N Caucasus, originally collected by Dima
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First Crocus to flower this year here in Amsterdam is C. Damascenus BATM-351
There is some variability within this collection as one has lighter flowers with both yellow anthers and stigma, the second (just opening) flower has darker veining and a more orange stigma.
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With cooling more and more crocuses open flowers
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Some pictures from this extremely windy, cool but sunny day:
At first - three forms of Crocus gilanicus from Iran
and 2 pictures of hybrid between Crocus scharojanii var flavus and C. scharojanii raised and shared with me by Poul Erik. Greatest thanks for this beauty! Sorry, just got mail frpm Poul Erik - correct parentage is Turkish Crocus vallicola crossed with C. scharojanii.
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I haven't been here for a while, as shown by the fact I'm looking at page 6 of Crocus year 202i. I've been in and out of hospital, and with other bad things happening, it's been a horrid year so far BUT the superb photos by Janis Ruksans of his outstanding Crocus species and hybrids are enough to turn anyone's horrid year into a glorious one. What a joy they all are! Thank you Janis for taking and sharing the photos and Maggi for placing them here. They are all truly superb.
They have the slightly unfortunate effect though of making me feel deeply dissatisfied with my own smaller and rather inferior colleection.
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I haven't been here for a while, as shown by the fact I'm looking at page 6 of Crocus year 202i. I've been in and out of hospital, and with other bad things happening, it's been a horrid year so far BUT the superb photos by Janis Ruksans of his outstanding Crocus species and hybrids are enough to turn anyone's horrid year into a glorious one. What a joy they all are! Thank you Janis for taking and sharing the photos and Maggi for placing them here. They are all truly superb.
They have the slightly unfortunate effect though of making me feel deeply dissatisfied with my own smaller and rather inferior colleection.
Thank you, Leslie. I wish you good recovering and healthy future!
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Some more crocuses from yesterday
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Some crocuses from yesterday:
One of the best selections from typical Crocus speciosus named 'Blue Web'
Crocus bolensis albus flower with additional flower segments from heights over Lake Abant, Turkey
Crocus brachyphylus - Turkey, N of Akseki. One of my first new species described and published under name C. elegans, but I then was only newcomer in taxonomy, so name given by me was rejected and used this one, although it is one of the most elegant species in Crocus speciosus group.
White form of Crocus pallasii from its locus classicus in Crimea (Ukraine), at present occupied and militarized by "peaceful" Russia.
Typical Crocus pallasii from Crimea, Ukraine.
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Crocus armeniensis was flowering the last days.
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Miore and more crocuses blooms in those sunny days
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Some more from last sunny days
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My favourites in autumn are white blooming forms
Number one in my list is this white C. cartwrightianus from Naxos Island Greece (2 pictures)
On the third picture white seedling of Crocus mathewii - could be hybrid?
But last two pictures shows amazing colour form of Crocus pumilus from crete. This year especially deeply yellow toned, unfortunately during blooming it whitens...
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Next two pictures are albinos of Crocus speciosus
On the first traditional cultivar 'Albus'
on 2nd picture albino from Ijevan, Armenia, spotted by Zhirair Basmajyan and we shared found plants between us. It has slightly lilac shade
But last two pictures shows virus infected flowers of Crocus banaticus. It is the first case when I'm finding infected plants in this species - there were 3 such individuals and all were diged out and burnt
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Crocus autranii
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and Crocus autranii with a removed petal.
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Crocus Ilgazensis enjoying some sun. It’s flowering two weeks later than the first one, is that normal? I just got it this year, it’s beautiful.
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Today I noticed one double flower (bottom left) among the many C. Ibrahimi flowers.
There are 9 petals, 6 anthers and 2 stigma's
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Nice Steven, did you grow them from seed?
Some pictures of Crocus Kotschyanus (I think) from the park nearby. Two very different ones next to eachother.
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Crocus goulimyi escaped from a pot i guess
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I don't know what's happening this year but here's another 'rarity'; these two flowers stalks of C. boryi 'striped' are merged together.
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I don't know what's happening this year but here's another 'rarity'; these two flowers stalks of C. boryi 'striped' are merged together.
You don't live near a nuclear plant, do you? !! :D ;) ;D
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I'm starting to wonder Maggi :-)
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No nucleair plants here, Crocus Kotschyanus Leucopharynx looks very much like it should, though it probably likes more sunlight. This one is in my own pot.
Hope you got some normal Crocuses as well Steven.
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Crocus kotschyanus var. leucopharynx is especially beautiful!
Steven, I´ve got several colchicums with merged tubes and flowers, though gardening beyond the border in Germany.
Crocus vallicola is one I was looking for, I´m glad to grow it now. :-)
(https://up.picr.de/42230390bg.jpg)
The crocus to the right was grown from SRGC-seed received in 2018, Crocus nudiflorus. The one to the left came to me as a blind passenger in a pot with Crocus banaticus from a friend. It looks very attractive, but I´m afraid it´s virus - diseased?
(https://up.picr.de/42230392ma.jpg)
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Your Crocuses look beautiful, Mariette. Does your friend has any idea idea which Crocus could have come with C. Banaticus? Surely hope that it’s not infected, it is attractive.
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Thank You, Akke! My friend had dug the Crocus banaticus in his garden and obviously some seed of Crocus nudiflorus, too. Both grow together in his border. This one popped up in my pot 2 years ago.
(https://up.picr.de/42239085gs.jpg)
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Hi, Yes I do also have 'normal' crocuses, in fact about 99% :-)
But what struck my amazement this morning, yet again a deformation, I have not seen this many any year before.
I feed them bonemeal mostly as a fertiliser; perhaps some of the growth hormones used in the meat industry have something to do with it? So far I can't think of any other plausibel cause (which doesn't mean there can be loads of other factors of course)
This is C. mathewii 'Dream Dancer'. Does anyone else notice any more 'changes' than usual this year?
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Another normal one, Crocus asumaniae.
Glad to hear that you also got some normal Crocuses, Steven. ;)
BTW Mariëtte I reread the part about viruses in ‘The World of Crocuses’ by Janis Ruksans, he mentions stripes but nothing about veins. Nothing about possible hybrides between C. Nudiflorus and C. Banaticus either.
Let’s hope an expert can tell more.
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Crocus kotschyanus var. leucopharynx is especially beautiful!
Steven, I´ve got several colchicums with merged tubes and flowers, though gardening beyond the border in Germany.
Crocus vallicola is one I was looking for, I´m glad to grow it now. :-)
The crocus to the right was grown from SRGC-seed received in 2018, Crocus nudiflorus. The one to the left came to me as a blind passenger in a pot with Crocus banaticus from a friend. It looks very attractive, but I´m afraid it´s virus - diseased?
(https://up.picr.de/42230392ma.jpg)
I have found a similar Crocus nudiflorus in my garden and I am afraid it is virused. It is shown with a normal nudiflorus.
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Well, it would be a pity if it were virused, as it shows such a nice deep colour!
What bothers me is that I never noticed virused crocusses among the few I bought, but suspects turned up for the first time this year among my seedlings. There was a Crocus banaticus which probably was virused, but as the flower didn´t develop properly, I discarded it without taking a pic. I´m uncertain whether I have to get rid of all the bulbs in a pot or just the one showing symptoms.
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By advice from a good friend I have potted it and placed it far away from other Crocus and Iris. I will check the leaves for virus signs in spring.
My friend pointed out that the pattern is symmetrical and not random which is typical for a virused flower.
I will suggest that you split the healthy one and the suspicious in two different pots and keep them isolated from other crocus to see how they perform next year.
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Hi, Yes I do also have 'normal' crocuses, in fact about 99% :-)
But what struck my amazement this morning, yet again a deformation, I have not seen this many any year before.
I feed them bonemeal mostly as a fertiliser; perhaps some of the growth hormones used in the meat industry have something to do with it? So far I can't think of any other plausibel cause (which doesn't mean there can be loads of other factors of course)
This is C. mathewii 'Dream Dancer'. Does anyone else notice any more 'changes' than usual this year?
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Effect of very high temperatures during flower development period when corms are in summer dormancy
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The crocus to the right was grown from SRGC-seed received in 2018, Crocus nudiflorus. The one to the left came to me as a blind passenger in a pot with Crocus banaticus from a friend. It looks very attractive, but I´m afraid it´s virus - diseased?
(https://up.picr.de/42230392ma.jpg)
100% sure that it is virus infection!!!
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I have found a similar Crocus nudiflorus in my garden and I am afraid it is virused. It is shown with a normal nudiflorus.
I'm sure that it is virus, too. I found few similar in my collection - few between banaticus seedlings and in nudiflorus, I think that some else were dug out, but I didn't pictured sand didn't remember just in which species. Surprisingly many this season, although some 5-7 plants between my thousands is practically nothing, although more than in other years.
This season much more proliferations (semi-double flowers) than usually and more plants with short flower tubes. Crocus boryi - a lot of poorly developed flowers. I think reason is very high temperatures in greenhouse (up to +52 C) during summer dormancy.
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I was lazy with forum this autumn and mostly posted pictures on my Facebook pages mixed with information about Covid and agitation for vaccination. Flower pictures allowed to rise attention and so more and more people could read about advantages of vaccination and stupidity of antivaxer propaganda. Other problem is resizing of pictures - in FB I resize them but don't must to check their size - sometimes even twice as large than allowed in forum is good for FB, and of course - in forum number of pictures per entry limited to 5.
But now I decided every day to make few entries as all pictures for FB are saved in folder and I will put them now in alphabetic order according species name and will start with 1st October - now will follow crocuses pictured in October.
In this entry C. hakkariensis and C. aleppicus from Israel and Syria with its ally from Israel
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The next in line are C. archibaldiorum from Iran and C. assumaniae from near Akseki in Turkey
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Now late blooming Crocus banaticus Snowdrift, few forms of Crocus boryi 16GRA-195 and 197 - both from Crete and another from Peloponnese and as last tiny Crocus cambessedesii
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and last entry for today another form of Crocus cambessedesii and several from Crocus cartwrightianus.
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My new "toy" - label printer “P-touch D-450” from “brother” company. Hope that new labels will be more permanent than all "everlasting" special inks and much more information can be added for eventual transplantation of my collection to Botanical Garden of Latvian University. They now found a place and is looking for money to built up new greenhouse where will be transferred my bulb collection. I try to print at least 50 labels every day, so it will take 3-4 months to replace my labels, even not for each pot, but each sample will have at least one printed label.
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I've used a smaller, handheld, printer from this company for the last 10 years or so Jānis. The printed labels last excellently, even outdoors. However the label rolls from Brother are quite expensive so I normally use generic labels from various Chinese sellers on Ebay. These last very well too but are much more economical.
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100% sure that it is virus infection!!!
Thank You, Janis! Do You know by what means the virus is spread? Do virus of other plants like cucumber mosaic virus, for instance, affect crocus, too?
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Yes, some viruses are damaging many different plants - such is cucumber mosaic virus and some others, too. I was researching those problems some 40 years ago, so not remember much from that time. Distributors - some nematodes living in soil, trips, aphids and others. But now I'm only checking colour of leaves (mosaic), shape and colour of flowers and destroying all suspicious plants,
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Now again some flowers from October - will continue with Crocus cartwrightianus and then Crocus caspius.
Crocus cartwrightianus is ancestor of safran crocus - C. sativus and is very variable in colour.
Crocus caspius is growing well with me, but I'm afraid to offer it in catalogue, as it is more susceptible to bad winter conditions and several times I almost lost it.
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Crocus cf. armeniensis Cloudy Sky was found nr. vil. Vahagni by late Zhirair Basmajyan (he was killed by some robber, who came to his summerhouse where Zhirair worked with his bulbs). As Covid not allowed to visit his widow and to pick up his collection - best part of it -, house was sold and all his marvelous collection of historical tulips and wild gatherings were lost).
Another 3 pictures are of Crocus regarded at present as Crocus cf. pallasii , but certainly representing different species.
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Yes, some viruses are damaging many different plants - such is cucumber mosaic virus and some others, too. I was researching those problems some 40 years ago, so not remember much from that time. Distributors - some nematodes living in soil, trips, aphids and others. But now I'm only checking colour of leaves (mosaic), shape and colour of flowers and destroying all suspicious plants,
Thank You, Janis! As I never noticed any aphids or trips interested in my crocus, the disease will be spread soil-born by nematodes. Probably I should sterilise my compost before potting crocus or snowdrops, which offer the same problem.
Still, there are some crocus flowering in the garden.
(https://up.picr.de/42430554hd.jpg)
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I continue with crocuses from October
Crocus cf. speciosus 16IRS-069 from Iran
Crocus clusii 15PTGS-034 from Portugal - 2 pictures
Crocus damascenus 17IRS-001 from Iran
and from Turkey
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Now Crocus gilanicus and its F-2 hybrid with C. autranii
Crocus goulimyi New Harlequin
Crocus goulimyi PELOG-004
Hybrid of Crocus hadriaticus (pollen parent unknown) named after my Czech friend as 'Jirka'
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Crocus cf. mazziaricus 14GRS-003 - from Athos peninsula, Greece where it was growing only in splits of rock
Crocus damascenus JJVV-039 -Moca gec, Turkey
and 3 pictures of Crocus hadriaticus from various localities in Greece
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As last entry today - Crocus hatayensis - it is close to kotschyanus, but has different chromosome number and is growing in borderland between Turkey and Syria. Main feature allowing to identify it in most easy way is forming of leaves in autumn - during blooming or just after. The first 2 pictures are from Erich Pasche and J. Person collections, then 2 from type gathering (RUDA-117) and the last is identical with RUDA-117 but I got it from Dirck Schnabel.
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I recently planted 3 different varieties/species in a rough grass area that I only mow in the summer. What I forgot to check was how much sun it would get some weeks later, as they are not far from a tall plum hedge, which only this week is loosing its leaves. Many sad looking half eaten closed flowers so far ;-((((((((((((((((( 2 varieties still to flower. When I planted them that area was in the sun.
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Crocus haussknechtii seedling
Crocus haussknechtii from Iran
Crocus hellenicus from Monodendri, N Greece
Crocus kofudagensis JJJ-024
Crocus kotschyanuis leucopharynx - this form I got from Dirk Schnabel
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Crocus cf. cancellatus RUDA-050 Sertavul gec., Turkey
and Crocus hyemalis - 95-2381 from Jordania and ILOP-015 - from Israel
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And last today several pictures of Crocus laevigatus from October, but it still is in full bloom and fills greenhouse with wonderful aroma
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The C. hadriaticus from Peramo looks quite interesting with its extra tepals. Looks as if this is a stable feature?
Thanks a lot again, Janis, for showing these beauties to us!
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The C. hadriaticus from Peramo looks quite interesting with its extra tepals. Looks as if this is a stable feature?
Thanks a lot again, Janis, for showing these beauties to us!
Unfortunately doubling of flower segments in crocuses are not permanent feature, even so named "double flowering" cultivars (Crocus tommasinianus Eric Smith, mine C. chrysanthus Goldmine) makes semi-double flowers only from very large corms and even then not all and not every year.
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But now I return to October pictures
Old form of Crocus kotschyanus leucopharynx which I got from Czech grower in Pruhonice - Jiri Obdrjalek
Largest form of Crocus ligusticus from Tavarone, N Italy
Crocus lycius 14TUS-012 - Turkey, W from Antalya
and 2 forms of Crocus longiflorus - most aromatic species - first is my own gathering from S Italy mainland, another from Erich Pasche, collected in Sicily
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And now Queen (or King) of autumn bloomers - Crocus mathewii
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Another beauty from Jordan - Crocus moabiticus - usually blooms in December, but now already finished (yesterday last fklower remnants were plucked off.
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And last for today are various forms of Crocus ochroleucus from Syria and Israel - Dalton White is wonderful selection found and named by Oron Peri
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In this entry 2 pictures of Crocus ochroleucus Massada - from Golan Heights, Israel
and 3 pictures of Crocus melantherus in October. It still is blooming regardless of few very cold nights.
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Crocus nudiflorus from Spain
and 4 pictures of most likely new species from Chios Island (and could be in adjacent Turkish mainland as well) at present regarded as Crpocus cf. pallasii, what it certainly isn't and I would like to give it name Crocus homeri - legend tells that antique blind Greek poet Homer (author of Odisey and Iliada) was born just on Chios Island
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And last entry today - pictures of another affinity of Crocus cf. pallasii - now from Turkish-Syrian border and other three pictures are of Crocus oreocreticus
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In this entry 2 pictures of Crocus ochroleucus Massada - from Golan Heights, Israel
and 3 pictures of Crocus melantherus in October. It still is blooming regardless of few very cold nights.
The melantherus in the third pictures has 5 filaments/anthers ??? Any explanation Janis ??
The mass of melantherus on picture 5 iw impressive !!
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Well what a masse of crocuses photos Janis! haussknechtii look a bit like pallasus, same group?
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The melantherus in the third pictures has 5 filaments/anthers ??? Any explanation Janis ??
The mass of melantherus on picture 5 iw impressive !!
Unfortunately appearing of greater number of perianth segments is not permanent feature. It is caused by mistakes during ontogenesis of flower during summer dormancy. But some clones are more tended to this and there comes out so named "double flowering crocuses". But even those are not very constant, although from large corms some plants every year has such semi-double flowers.
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Well what a masse of crocuses photos Janis! haussknechtii look a bit like pallasus, same group?
Yes, it is so. Brian Mathew regarded it as subspecies of pallasii, but now general opinion is that all former subspecies must be regarded as different species and I follow this opinion, too.
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Now I start with Crocus lycius 14TUS-012 - regarded by Brian as subspecies of cancellatus, but it has own area, it is very constant in features and I actually can't understand why Brian didn't regarded it as separate species.
Crocus macedonicus 13GRS-015 was published by me. Earlier it was regarded as "C. pallasii" but it has different chromosome number and very long corm tunic's neck, reaching even soil surface, which in typical pallasii from locus classicus in Crimea (Ukraine) is only 2 cm long.
Last 3 pictures represent Crocus pamphylicus - another from cancellatus group, but easy identifiable by its white anthers which in typical cancellatus are yellow.
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Crocus pumilus from Crete is wonderful species with tiny flowers and most "yellow" in some clones after yellow C. scharojanii and lazicus. In this entry several acquisitions. It is endemic of Crete and distributed only there. Related C. laevigatus has much larger flowers and is very aromatic, whilst pumilus is odorless.
The most yellow is clone 17GRA-013 - this season buds were distinctly yellow and even open flowers kept good yellow shade on flower segments outside. During blooming yellow fades, but this season some hints of yellow was observable even on almost died flowers.
16GRA-196 - has paler yellow outside with dark stripes and pales to white quite soon after flower opening.
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Another yellowish C. pumilus with striped outside in bud and 2 forms of Crocus niveus and C. pulchellus
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Another yellowish C. pumilus with striped outside in bud and 2 forms of Crocus niveus and C. pulchellus
Thank you Janis for posting all these wonderful pictures; a bit of color in these grey autumn days is all one needs to lift one's mood!
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Amidst all these wonders of Janis, here are some Crocus melantherus from the Peloponnese (Gr)
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Dear Crocus enthusiasts,
Although I find these sold as 'C. clusii' flowers very appealing I have my doubts whether indeed 'C. clusii' is the correct name.
It's quite a vigorous grower; perhaps they are hybrids with an unidentified parent or a form of either C. salzmannii or C. serotinus?
In short I am a bit puzzled and hoping perhaps any of the more experienced 'crocophiles' recognizes it?
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Crocus Laevigatus ‘Fontenayi’ does seem to like dutch weather, grey but not to cold (10C) and flowering.
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Dear Crocus enthusiasts,
Although I find these sold as 'C. clusii' flowers very appealing I have my doubts whether indeed 'C. clusii' is the correct name.
It's quite a vigorous grower; perhaps they are hybrids with an unidentified parent or a form of either C. salzmannii or C. serotinus?
In short I am a bit puzzled and hoping perhaps any of the more experienced 'crocophiles' recognizes it?
I can't see the branching of stigma and of course corm tunics as well but by brief look they resembles C. speciosus.
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Now all my crocus (and other bulb) beds are covered with 2 layers of night-frost protection film (the thickest variant - 50 g/sq.m.). Crocuses below feel perfectly. Just yesterday in International Rock Gardening were published 3 new crocus species. One of them was originally collected already many years ago, but I simply hadn't time to work on it - actually waited for some Turkish botanist could publish it, but not seeing this (although I shared information, and even got from them confirmation that this really is new species) decided finally to publish it. By flowers it something resembles C. mathewii but has coarsely reticulated corm tunics as common in C. cancellatus group. New Crocus erolii was named after Professor of Istanbul University Osman Erol, who published several new Crocus species, but now not more works on them. Crocus homeri from Chios Island is named after ancient Greek poet Homer and was known for long, again I waited for its publication by Greek botanists, but not seeing, finally published by myself.
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On the first picture clone of Crocus homeri grown in Gothenburg BG - just this insisted me to visit Chios Island several times to make research on this crocus with black anthers (not in all plants, but majority has such anthers).
The third new-comer comes from Kos Island and was found there by Greek nature enthusiast Theodoro Samaras who sent me its pictures this autumn asking for name. I immediately suspected that it is something very special and invited Theo to join me in travel to Kos where he showed me this crocus and it was in full bloom, allowing to get full impression about its features and variability, confirming that it really is new species and I named it after its discoverer Theo Samaras. On pictures Crocus samarasii, its habitat and Theo picturing his crocus at locus classicus.
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Crocus Sunspot, slugs have taken a fancy to it too
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Crocus Sunspot, slugs have taken a fancy to it too
Lovely early flowers, David - pity that the slugs never take time off!
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The third new-comer comes from Kos Island and was found there by Greek nature enthusiast Theodoro Samaras who sent me its pictures this autumn asking for name. I immediately suspected that it is something very special and invited Theo to join me in travel to Kos where he showed me this crocus and it was in full bloom, allowing to get full impression about its features and variability, confirming that it really is new species and I named it after its discoverer Theo Samaras. On pictures Crocus samarasii, its habitat and Theo picturing his crocus at locus classicus.
In autumn 2014, David and I visited Kos and on 10th and 19th November climbed to the top of Mt. Dikeos where we found two species of Crocus which we identified as C. mazziaricus and C. pallasii. Do the latter (photos below) fall within your circumscription of C. samarasii, Janis, and if so, please could you clarify how they differ from C. pallasii? They were found at an altitude of 750-804 metres.
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We regularly show the above photographs to various SRGC members and Rock Garden Groups in a presentation ‘Autumn Bulbs of the Aegean’ which also includes other Crocus species on islands from which they have not been recorded. So, for example, what we would call Crocus pallasii also occurs on Kalimnos and Fourni, C. tournefortii is on Nisyros and C. cartwrightianus on Idra. These islands are not well botanised in autumn and we try to encourage others to collect more records. If members thought they were going to be finding new species on every island they visited, there might be more interest! Here are a few Crocus photos from Kalimnos from which C. mazziaricus is the only Crocus species recorded in the ‘Atlas of the Aegean Flora’.
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We regularly show the above photographs to various SRGC members and Rock Garden Groups in a presentation ‘Autumn Bulbs of the Aegean’ which also includes other Crocus species on islands from which they have not been recorded. So, for example, what we would call Crocus pallasii also occurs on Kalimnos and Fourni, C. tournefortii is on Nisyros and C. cartwrightianus on Idra. These islands are not well botanised in autumn and we try to encourage others to collect more records. If members thought they were going to be finding new species on every island they visited, there might be more interest! Here are a few Crocus photos from Kalimnos from which C. mazziaricus is the only Crocus species recorded in the ‘Atlas of the Aegean Flora’.
C. mazziaricus sensu lato is only on picture 76.0212 (Kalimnos), all others are "pallasii sensu lato". Note the position of stigma on other pictures – on Kalimnos it invariably overpass tips of anthers. On Kos plants (Crocus samarasii) stigma at flower opening always ends at middle of anthers and corm tunics are different as well.
Actually I think that C. mazziaricus is typical Pellopones species. Plants more to North in "main" Greece and Islands looks as different species, but there much deeper research is needed.
Relating "pallasii" - typical pallasii is growing on Crimea (Ukraine) enters Bulgaria and Serbia, N. Macedonia(?). Then high mountains makes barier and in Greek Macedonia and further to South at least up to Larissa it is replaced with C. macedonicus having different corm tunics and cytology and I'm very doubtful about presence of true pallasii on E. Aegean Islands and further in Turkey up to Israel. Of course disjunct areas are possible, but not very often, and morphologically they differ. What is near Athens, I don’t know, I lost my 2 corms received from Erich Pasche.
Island endemism is quite widespread in Aegean area. See different species on Islands (and even on W side of Turkey), very well separable morphologically, but earlier all regarded as "nubigena" checking only after black anthers. Even as subsp. nubigena of biflorus, although many are not relatives at all.
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In autumn 2014, David and I visited Kos and on 10th and 19th November climbed to the top of Mt. Dikeos where we found two species of Crocus which we identified as C. mazziaricus and C. pallasii. Do the latter (photos below) fall within your circumscription of C. samarasii, Janis, and if so, please could you clarify how they differ from C. pallasii? They were found at an altitude of 750-804 metres.
On pictures no mazziaricus seen. Comments about differences were before. I'm simply not very handy with using of homepage.
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On pictures no mazziaricus seen. Comments about differences were before. I'm simply not very handy with using of homepage.
Thank you for your response, Janis, but just to clarify matters, my query regarding Crocus on Kos relates not to Crocus mazziaricus, since you acknowledge that this species occurs on the island, but to the second species which I have been calling Crocus pallasii since photographing it there in 2014. This is why I did not include photographs of Crocus mazziaricus. I would be interested to know if you consider the photographs I did include to be Crocus pallasii or Crocus samarasii.
My understanding is that when describing a new species of plant, it is necessary to provide a clear statement of how the newly described species differs significantly from those already described. I have read your article in issue 144 of the ‘International Rock Gardener’ with great care and it is still not clear to me how Crocus samarasii differs from Crocus pallasii. You wrote “Comparing the gathered data with the description of Crocus pallasii from the locus classicus and taking into account the huge distance from Crimea where typical C. pallasii grows, I concluded that the crocus species from Kos Island was an example of islandic endemism and could be regarded as a new species, sufficiently different from its allies”.
Please would you explain how Crocus samarasii differs from Crocus pallasii? Not a single person of the many to whom I have shown these photographs has ever queried their identification as Crocus pallasii, so it would be very helpful to know what it was about Theodoras Samaras’s photographs which caused you describe them as of “a quite distinctly looking crocus”.
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Sorry, Margareth. I re-reead published text and found that small part disappear during editing by my language corrector or during re-editing later by publishers. The main differences which can be easy observed, is in position of stigmatic branches. In samarasii stigma branches practically invariably ends at middle of anthers, but in pallasii usually at tips or higher, in elder flowers and in cultivation almost always overtop anthers, but in samarasii "remain" below tips (if shrivelled anthers will be straightened, you will see this - see pictures of samarasii flower details in previous entry). I attached pictures illustrating this and you can see pallasii flower pictures here below as well. Digging out plants you will find that in pallasii reticulation of finely fibrous tunics start only at tip, but in samarasii much lower - around middle or even below. This disappeared from published text. But comparing description of samarasii with perfect and detailed description of pallasii you will see this. I attach here few pictures of C. pallasii from locus classicus in Crimea and in cultivation.
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Sorry, Margareth. I re-reead published text and found that small part disappear during editing by my language corrector or during re-editing later by publishers. The main differences which can be easy observed, is in position of stigmatic branches. In samarasii stigma branches practically invariably ends at middle of anthers, but in pallasii usually at tips or higher, in elder flowers and in cultivation almost always overtop anthers, but in samarasii "remain" below tips (if shrivelled anthers will be straightened, you will see this - see pictures of samarasii flower details in previous entry). I attached pictures illustrating this and you can see pallasii flower pictures here below as well. Digging out plants you will find that in pallasii reticulation of finely fibrous tunics start only at tip, but in samarasii much lower - around middle or even below. This disappeared from published text. But comparing description of samarasii with perfect and detailed description of pallasii you will see this. I attach here few pictures of C. pallasii from locus classicus in Crimea and in cultivation.
Sorry that this has happened - the IRG is now repaired and replaced on the SRGC.org.uk site
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2021Dec291640808762IRG144.pdf
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Thank you for your response, Janis, but I can see no new evidence by which you have demonstrated that the plants on Kos are distinct from Crocus pallasii. You may not have been aware that C. pallasii was known from Kos, but your book shows that this island lies well within its range and they are very easy to find as we discovered on our own visit.
You have provided no photographs of the corm tunics and state in the article “When I checked the corm tunics, I found that they closely resembled those of Crocus cf. pallasii not recorded from this island before.”
Your additional photos of C. pallasii from the Crimea show that their stigmatic branches equal or exceed the height of the anthers, but those in your book ‘The World of Crocuses’ do not. Of these four photographs only the white one shows this feature and together they cover an even wider range of variation than the plants from Kos which I posted, since your first photograph shows a plant with very short stigmatic branches reaching barely half way up the anthers.
To use a feature such as this would require a much larger sample to be studied to demonstrate whether or not there was a statistically significant difference between the Kos and Crimean populations. As you visited Kos for only 2 days, saw Crocuses at only one site and only 3 opening flowers, you cannot even be sure that these are representative of the island population, let alone that they are significantly different from Crimean ones.
Here are two more photos showing C. pallasii from Kos in which the stigmatic branches reach and overtop the stamens.
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I would agree wholeheartedly with the comment in your book regarding Crocus pallasii that “a lot of investigation is still needed all over the vast area of its distribution”. But these investigations must be rigorous.
I wish you and other Crocus enthusiasts health and happiness in 2022 and many successful plant-hunting trips.
Here are Crocus pallasii photos from another East Aegean island taken in 2011 – a particularly good year for long stigmatic branches!
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