Crocus 2008 - Southern Hemisphere

[Thomas Huber]

Lesley, I'm with Tony - this unknown Crocus could be a form of serotinus ssp salzmanii.

But what do I see on some of your nudiflorus petals? I don't dare to use the "v"-word 

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks T and T for the ID. In that case, it will be the one I imported from Van Tubergen way back in the 60s. Considering the appalling treatment and neglect it's had over many years, it must have the constitution of an ox. I'll treat it better now.

Oh Thomas! How can you do this to me? I honestly hadn't noticed the marks on the nudiflorus petals, was just so pleased with the purple patch. I'll have a good look today at that lot and others and see what's what. If it is a virus, it's not affecting the vigour at all, but I don't want it spreading to other species. The goulimyi and ser. ssp salz (Mathew gives it as salzmannii, 2 ns)are right beside the nudiflorus.

[Lesley Cox]

I've found a good patch of C. nudiflorus with NO darker marks at all so have dug the lot and moved it well away from the others and the virused medius. Hope that works to keep them clean.

Here are two whites,


Crocus pulchellus albus is new for me this season. It is quite unlike the white C. p. `Zephyr,' kindly identified for me the other day.


This I had the year before last from Marcus and it is increasing very well in its little pot and will need to be planted out in the summer. I have it as C. hadriaticus ssp. parnassicus but Mathew doesn't mention that as such, just refers to a pure white form with white filaments and no yellow throat from Mt. Parnassus and this is the one I have. (I've checked the thoat and filaments). Some may think it's just another white crocus but to me it is extra special because it is the ONLY crocus I've come across which has a truly sweet and delicious perfume, even could be called rose-like, as distinct from the rather saffron-like scent of all others. It gave me two seed pods last year as well.

[Paul T]

I've never sniffed a Crocus.  Should I be?  I think I heard reference recently from someone else to nice perfume on one of theirs?

[Thomas Huber]

I have it as C. hadriaticus ssp. parnassicus but Mathew doesn't mention that as such, just refers to a pure white form with white filaments and no yellow throat from Mt. Parnassus and this is the one I have. (I've checked the thoat and filaments). Some may think it's just another white crocus but to me it is extra special because it is the ONLY crocus I've come across which has a truly sweet and delicious perfume, even could be called rose-like, as distinct from the rather saffron-like scent of all others. It gave me two seed pods last year as well.

Lesley, ssp parnassicus was first mentioned in the Crocus update from 2001 by Brian Mathew.
1982, when he wrote his monograph, he classified no subspecies of hadriaticus.

[fermi de Sousa]

Here's another couple of flowers on Crocus goulimyi "Albus".


cheers
fermi

[Ian Y]

Paul, Maggi would tell you that you should be sniffing all your flowers! Lots of Crocus have lovely scents.
Of course some frits are stinky, but there is so often a pleasant surprise to reward the nose.

[Paul T]

Ian,

I'll keep it in mind. 

Fermi,

I have buds starting to appear on some of the different goulimyi.  The named variants always seem strange to me in that the straight species shoots the flowers straight out of the ground, whereas those like 'Mani White' and another superior form to the normal species (no idea of name) set up a little bunch of leaves before the flowers appear.  I always wonder why the straight species (or the form we have here in Aus as the "straight species") sends up flowers without leaves but the named ones seem to have leaves above ground before flowers appear?

I noted this evening that the Crocus mathewii has another bud up on it now (just in time for me to miss it all week at work) plus C. laevigatus (also in the new crocus garden) have a couple of buds up.  The front longiflorus still has it's flower out, looking taller every day.  I would imagine that a good clump of it would be absolutely stunning given the size and height of the flowers.  I am SO looking forward to seeing how everything flowers once they've had a year or two in the new garden to build up size.  More noses are starting to appear in various places in the new garden so there should be more flowers coming along soon from other species as well.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Thomas. I have the 1982 edition only so hadn't caught up with the update.

Paul, my lavender goulimyi flowers with the beginnings of its leaves, not naked. Might just be a matter of different climates, yours coming a bit earlier than mine.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Once they're in flower there are the beginnings of leaves present, but I've never noticed leaves well before flowering, whereas with the other varieties the leaves literally appear a week or two before the flowers push up.  I can just see buds starting to appear in the middle of the leaf sets now, whereas with the straight species they're all up and in flower in a rush I find.

[Armin]

Super pictures from everybody!

[Lesley Cox]

A couple more new ones this autumn.


Crocus ochroleucus `Valerie Finnis' is pristine and pure, a great improvement in substance and colour over the thin petalled, muddy white of my originals.


Crocus niveus, lilac form. Yes, really. The inside is pure white but in bud, and looking down on it, there's the faintest flush of palest lilac. I know it varies and I believe Marcus' sale corms are from his own seed. I saw some at his place a year ago with a strong lilac colour on the outside, so I guess it's a matter of luck what you get. I'll try some more next summer.

[David Nicholson]

Nice ones Lesley.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

That 'Valerie Finnis' is great, isn't it?  I think I might have bought that this year, but will have to check my records to confirm that.  Sounds sort of familiar!    Too many purchases, too few remaining braincells in my case! 

[David Nicholson]

Gets worse the older you get Paul

... oops that's 2000, is the cake in the post Lesley?