Crocus September 2010

[David Nicholson]

Now it's started! Not a single nose showing yet on any of mine.

.... but, I found this one this morning. Crocus kotschyanus, one that Tony Willis dug from his plunge and kindly sent to me in 2008, and three others to come from that pot.

 

[Janis Ruksans]

Here started blooming of Crocus autranii and it's hybrid with C. gilanicus - quite similar but slightly lighter.
Last autumn I was in Crimea to picture Crocus pallasii in nature for my coming book. Of course, few corms were collected, too. White ones I showed earlier - now usual lilac form. During same trip we revisited Crocus speciosus locality, although it was not our target. Day was very dark, cloudy and rainy. Most crocuses were over or not started blooming. Really there were very few flowerbuds seen. We were 3 - Dima (our guide), Leonid from Lithuania and I. We talked about white speciosus, that such plants are not seen in nature. And in my book is written that whites are exceptionally rare, that Zhirair, who specially searched for it, didn't find such in Armenia, only very few very light. I followed Leonid and I still can't understand how I noted those half-wilted, rain-damaged remnants of something whitish between fallen leaves. Now it bloomed with me. Of course - not so white as cv. 'Albus', in bud it is slightly grayish speckled on back of flower segments, but opened it is almost pure white. Unfortunately only almost...

[Janis Ruksans]

Another very interesting Crocus which flowers now is unusually dark form of Crocus kotschyanus cappadocicus. I immediately marked it, because never before saw so deeply lilac.
Continues blooming of Crocus suworovianus and quite unusual form of it - named f. lilacinus. It isn't collected by me and I know only that it comes from Turkey. I bought it from Czech collector.
Started blooming of Crocus cancellatus damascenus and opened first flower of very early form of Crocus boryi. Started blooming C. hadriaticus, but yesterday was too late for picturing of it and today is dark clouds and all the day autumn rain. So no one crocus opened its flowers.
Janis

[Armin]

Janis,
thank you for showing all the rare and extraordinary forms of your collection and the related stories behind.
My personal preferences are striped, highly contrasted forms. Hence C. autranii, the unusually dark form of Crocus kotschyanus cappadocicus and C. pallasii are my favourites - very lovely.

In my garden C. kotschyanus ssp. kotschyanus is the first of autuum flowering species and other promising noses poking through the ground.
This clone did not flower last year after a shy flowering the year before. So I'm happy with my modest success.
Other species like C. speciosus, hadriaticus and nudiflorus show noses, too.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

A very nice one Armin ! 

Janis, what a cracking series !!!!   

[Maggi Young]

Croconuts..... more crocus pix from Janis and Zhirair (boyed) in the next issue of 'International Rock Gardener'..... online on Friday 24th September! 

[Armin]

Thanks Luc
How are your croci growing? Usually your croci are a bit ahead flowering compared to mine.

Maggi,
I'm anxious to read the next edition;D

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Just one speciosus open at the moment here - should have some more to post in a couple of days !! 

[David Nicholson]

Three more from today.

Crocus speciosus 'Oxonian'
C. spesiosus ssp. xantholaimos x pulchellus
C. pulchellus 'Inspiration'

[pehe]

Nice Crocus pics Janis and David!

My first crocus is speciosus and banaticus.

Poul

[udo]

some flowers from this weekend:
Cr.autranii
Cr.banaticus `Albus`
Cr.karduchorum 3 pics

[udo]

and more:
Cr.cambessedesii 3 pics
Cr.mathewii, rose form
Cr.pallasii from S.-Turkey

[David Nicholson]

Lovely stuff Dirk.

[hadacekf]

Great Crocuses all !
Self seedlings of crocuses in meadow and bulb frame.
Crocus kotschianus and C. serotinus.
Crocus kotschianus
Crocus hadriaticus

[tonyg]

A slow start to the season here with late watering.
Crocus vallicola - 3 forms pictured has been the first to flower.
Crocus kotschyanus ssp surowowianus.
Crocus .. autranii x gilanicus I think follows closely.  It looks like the plant Janis pictured under that name.  It set a (very) few seeds this year so we'll see what they produce ... in about 4 years time