Crocus crossing

[Maggi Young]

Can't hurt to try, Guff. I would go a little deeper than you suggest, by an inch or so. The main problem would be in the larger foliage of the giants swamping the little chaps.

[Guff]

Maggi, I think I will try some in pots and a couple spots out in the garden next fall. I like to bring a pot of crocus inside to force flower mid Feb for some much needed color. Crocus outside don't start to flower until late March, early April here.

When you say deeper, do you mean the giant crocus should be planted deeper or also the snow crocus?

[Maggi Young]

I meant everything deeper, Guff, both types.

[Guff]

Well, I ended up getting around 400 seeds, not as many as I hoped, maybe next year. I think I only found 1 seed pod from the giant Dutch vernus that I planted on the bank.

I ordered some crocus the other day, mostly vernus forms. Hopefully they all come, looking foward to crossing these in the spring with my others.

Crocus (spring) vernus 'Graecus' (6 corms)
Crocus (spring) vernus 'Haarlem Gem'  (3 corms)
Crocus (spring) vernus ssp. albiflorus (6 corms)
Crocus (spring) vernus ssp. vernus var. heuffelianus (6 corms)
Crocus Vernus 'Negro Boy' (10 corms)
Crocus heuffelianus 'Dark Eyes' (2 corms)
Crocus vernus 'Tatra Shades' (2 corms)
Crocus vernus 'Uklin Strain' (2 corms)
Crocus 'Skyline' (2 corms)

Anyone have a picture of Haarlem Gem. Tatra Shades and Uklin Strain(picture also), these two I assume are forms of heuffelianus with the dark V tips.
Thanks.

[Maggi Young]

Anyone have a picture of Haarlem Gem. Tatra Shades and Uklin Strain(picture also), these two I assume are forms of heuffelianus with the dark V tips

Sorry, Guff, can't help with those pix. Sounds like you have been having some pleasant retail therapy, by your list!

[Thomas Huber]

Guff - here's what I think is Crocus vernus Haarlem Gem!
I received it as Crocus heuffelianus from Holland!

[Guff]

Maggie, it wasn't too bad, $60 including shipping for all listed. With the extra genetics to play with, crosses can be almost endless.

Thanks, Thomas. Thats very nice. Looks alot like Vangaurd, but a different shade.

Thomas do you find that the heuffelianus forms group up faster/slower/same then the Dutch Giants vernus?

Thanks for info.

[Paul T]

Thomas,

Quite a nice colour and form to it, even if it isn't correct.  Did you already have that variety?

[Thomas Huber]

Guff, some heuffelianus have increased like weeds last year,
others were received as bulbils two years ago and have
still not reached flowering size - so there is no general rule, try it yourself!

Paul, I didn't have that variety before. And to avoid your next question:
No, it doesn't set seed   

[Paul T]

Thomas,

At least you got something you didn't already have.  For reference..... I wasn't intending to ask about seed.  I owe you and others quite enough already without asking for any more from you. 

Also, with it looking like we're back into drought conditions and expecting little rain until next autumn I would be storing any unsown seed now anyway, until I have conditions where I can expect it to do well.  This summer is not looking promising, despite great forecasts that we had in June for a wet winter/spring.  Since June we've had very very little rain. 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Poor Paul - if only we could send you some rain.... we had gallons of it yesterday and today...

[Guff]

Thomas, I found this on 'Harlem Gem', spellings different then what I purchased 'Haarlem Gem'  are they the same crocus?

"Although crocus do not commonly interbreed, some hybrids exist, and the September-blooming vernus variety, 'Harlem Gem', shows distinct biscuit colours in its external petals, which originate from the genes of C. tommasinianus"

http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/crocus.htm

[Thomas Huber]

Guff, I have not seen this one from New Zealand, but I guess that's the same!

[Guff]

I received my Odyssey Bulbs order today. Well some of what I ordered. I was looking forward to "NB", after seeing Thomas pictures, nice dark, almost black purple.

Crocus Vernus 'Negro Boy' (10 corms) (Did Not Receive, Sold Out)
Crocus heuffelianus 'Dark Eyes' (2 corms)
Crocus vernus 'Tatra Shades' (2 corms)
Crocus vernus 'Uklin Strain' (2 corms)
Crocus 'Skyline' (2 corms) (Did Not Receive, Sold Out)

Well now my next question is, should I plant these out in the garden or pot them up? Mostly want the pollen for crossing come spring, so I may just pot them up in a nice leaf compost/sand mix, and some pebbles to help with drainage.

Now in the instructions for "pots" it says 1-2 inche deep, is that normal depth?

Thanks for info

edit, is September in New Zealand fall or spring there? I just assumed it was Fall.

[Maggi Young]

September is spring in NZ, Guff, so, at Thanksgiving, or Christmas time, when we are shivering and eating roast turkey indoors, they are outside having a barbecue on a great summer's day!