Crocus October 2007

[mark smyth]

pulchellus 'Albus'. I'm calling myself idiot

[mark smyth]

I didnt get to see my medius at it's best. 27 flowers last year and only 21 this year. No feeding this year so someone can remind me in the spring

[Maggi Young]

David, it was Reply #49 on: October 13, 2007, 07:15:32 PM »on page four of this thread. Here are the pix again




Crocus pulchellus albus
 

[Maggi Young]

Click the pix to enlarge, of course.

[David Nicholson]

David, it was Reply #49 on: October 13, 2007, 07:15:32 PM »on page four of this thread. Here are the pix again

Ah! I see now. I have trouble remembering what happened five minutes ago never mind four days ago

[Maggi Young]

Really? Me too: what DID happen five minutes ago?

[tonyg]

That is a very large C pulchellus albus.  Sometimes plants of hybrid origin have reduced anthers ... yours appear to be missing, given that C pulchellus should have white anthers/pollen. 
Now ... are you going to tell me that I sent it to you ?
Here is a pic of my version - those at the conference will have seen this one before

PS like David I could not see the plant referred to as it was on an earlier page in the thread.

[Boyed]

Zhirair, are your Oxonian from Bondarenko? I agree with David, that this one looks
somewhat lighter than my other Oxonian.

David - sorry to disappoint you, but this is clearly Crocus speciosus. It seems like
all the Dutch salzmanii stocks are untrue 

Not direrctly, but its Bondarenko stock. Indeed, flowers seems to be lighter, but have the same dark tube. Anyway, they look great.

[Paul T]

Tony,

The shape, along with the deep orange centre is absolutely stunning.  Very nice flower!!

Mark,

I quite like the uninterrupted look of your flower without the stamen.  Looks rather clean, although not as striking as Tony's bright red-orange centre.  Still definitely not to be sneezed at.  Lovely!!

[Maggi Young]

no stamens.... not to be sneezed at...... I love it!

[hadacekf]

This time I need the help of the crocus expert.  Are the leaves of this Crocus diseased.

[tonyg]

Franz - I have seen similar occasionally and I do not think it is disease.  I think it happens when the foliage develops too fast within the cataphylls or when there is an obstruction to the growing point.  The leaves should gradually extend with the lower parts (yet to appear above ground) much straighter.  If it is virus disease I would expect badly distorted, streaky flowers. 
Crocus niveus and Crocus imperati seem most susceptible to the 'crinkly leaves' problem.

[Boyed]

Franz
There is nothing to add to what's our crocus expert Tony said. Just again would like to tell you that you shouldn't worry about such kind of leaves at all. It happens with crocuses quite often, but it is temporary thing and the odd-leafed smaples look perfect the following years.

Indeed, the plant is virus-free, as the leaves are colored smothly (no lighter green stripes). Just want to mention that crocus samples infected with leaf mosaic usually produce normal looking not distorted and streaky flowers, but the leaves ? So the crocuses, which procuce leaves in spring should be carefuly observed against mosaic at that time.

[Boyed]

David,

Interesting, I was planning to order crocus speciosus 'Artabir' and 'Cassiope' from Pottretons. Sad to know that the crocus you odreded from them, was not tru to name. Anyway, I'll give a try, maybe i'll succeeed. I know that presently it is not that easy to get truecrocus speciosus named cultivars.

[David Nicholson]

David,

Interesting, I was planning to order crocus speciosus 'Artabir' and 'Cassiope' from Pottretons. Sad to know that the crocus you odreded from them, was not tru to name. Anyway, I'll give a try, maybe i'll succeeed. I know that presently it is not that easy to get truecrocus speciosus named cultivars.

Zhirair, as Thomas has said the problem appears to be that Dutch nursery stock is at fault. I contacted Potterton's who immediately offered me a refund so you have nothing at all to fear about ordering from them. I shall certainly order again next year.