Crocus January 2007

[Ian Y]

We have a pot of Crocus imperatii under glass that is waiting for a warm day to open, nothing showing in the way of a crocus flower in the garden at all.
I will reserve my judgement on Anthony's Crocus michelsonii 'Turkmenian Night'  until he shows more pictures.
It looks a bit dark to me it is the contrast of the dark purple against the white that I like in the normal form, if you can ever call this crocus normal.

[DaveM]

Got driven in mid afternoon by yet more rain squalls and increasing wind speeds again  . Had a nice clump of Crocus imperati de Jager until the wind battered it...... not worth a photo.

However, in the alpine house is C alatavicus, tightly closed most of the week but open midday today. Cheery along with a few Narcussi as well.....
Dave

[snowdropman]

Hi Dave - What a lovely form - really liked the 1st photo.

[DaveM]

Hi Chris - I like it too. Purchased from a well-known expensive nursery a few years ago, not something I usually resort to...... I don't find it an easy crocus, particularly to flower though. No flowers last year, but must have got more of a baking this summer.

Dave

[Lesley Cox]

That certainly IS a lovely form of alatavicus. Mine have soft greyish brown shading and I often think that before they open fully, the flowers look rather like slim mice or perhaps some fragile toadstool.

[Paddy Tobin]

Dave, that is simply divine.

Paddy

[John Forrest]

That's an amazing Crocus, I've never seen a black and white flower before.

[mark smyth]

I dont think what I'm about to show can beat that very unusual Crocus alatavicus

In alphabetical order are
C. biflorus isauricus - 2 photos
C. chrysanthus 'Uschak Orange' - nothing special except it's an early flowerer
C. corsicus - as supplied by Potterton's. It is imperati suaveolens
C. dalmaticus - in the garden and now free from slug damage
C. korolkowii - a positive mistake and one I wont complain about. Apricot form
C. reticulatus reticulatus - I hope! two photos
C. reticulatus reticulatus - same source and supposed to be the same
and lastly a Crocus supplied as 'Advance'. Will I ever be able to get this Crocus!?

[tonyg]

Nice crocus Mark - the pale korolkowii especially.  The second (stippled) reticulatus is unusual ... stippling reminiscent of some forms of C biflorus.  The corm tunic will be netted fibres if it is reticulatus.
The last one is very similar to some bronze stippled forms of C chrysanthus that I have seen.  Thomas may be able to say which cultivar it resembles - he is the top man on these.
Pottertons may get some of their bulbs from suppliers on the continent, they may not have seen them in flower.  At least you are still getting value for money .. imperati is as good as corsicus in my book!

[udo]

Crocus hartmannianus

and a botanical sister from crocus,
Iris histrio

[mark smyth]

Tony when I saw the mistake I guessed he got his bulbs elsewhere. After you told me I should take photos of tunics I started to do so. Unfortunately I didnt take that of reticulatus. This is the biflorus tunic that looks like bark

[mark smyth]

Udo that's a very pale Iris compared to my own histrioides. Either way it's a lovely shade of blue

[mark smyth]

Tony if a Crocus has two large noses when bought can it be cut down the middle?

[Anthony Darby]

Iris histrio is a pale blue iris, whereas I. histrioides is mid- to dark blue Mark. I tried to take a pic of another flower of Crocus michelsonii 'Turkmenian Night' but this weekend has been very dark with no sun when I was at home. Here is a link to Leonid Bondarenko's web site: http://www.litbulbgarden.com/

[Lesley Cox]

In the absence of Thomas, I'd like to suggest `Zwanenburg Bronze' for Mark's last pic above. I had the true form many years ago direct from Van Tubergen when importing was cheap and easy. The crocuses which are sold under this name now in NZ are all C. chrysanthus `Fusco-tinctus' with clear stripes rather than solid colour. Treasure yours Mark.