Colchicum autumn 2009

[Darren]

My C.cupanii from a Salmon & Lovell collection is slightly past its best but still looking good today.

[BULBISSIME]

How many corms in the pot  
fantastic show clump Darren.

[Anthony Darby]

Superb.  Very different from what I have as cupanii (two sources), which have leaves almost an inch wide.

[johnw]

My C.cupanii from a Salmon & Lovell collection is slightly past its best but still looking good today.

Darren - A stunning display, well done! 

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Glorious potful, Darren.... well done with that 
While looking for another plant I was reminded of this pic from the Loughborough show..... the leaves of this one are wider, I think..... http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4273.msg112988#msg112988

Just the right size for a good pot subject, aren't they?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Gorgeous potful Darren !!! 

[BULBISSIME]

From Israel, Colchicum hierosolymitanum, that I grow in a pot, in the bulb frame as I wonder if it's hardy here

[Hans A.]

Great pictures everyone!

Will need some time here until C. stevenii will make such a great show like in Israel.

Fred very fine C. cretense and C. hierosolymitanum. Not always easy to seperate from C. pusillum - here a C. pusillum which started flowering without leaves but leaves appear while flowering so this should not be C. cretense (leaves always appear after flowering I have been told) - I have never seen colchicums in crete but possibly C.pusillum and C.cretense produce hybrids or maybe C. cretense is only a local form of the higher mountains?

Here two pics of the same plant taken with a few days of difference.

[Anthony Darby]

Colchicum cretense is supposed to have brown anthers and C. pusillum yellow.

[BULBISSIME]

the other main diference ( not esay to see in cultivation ) is that C. cretense is a moutain plant, while C. pusillum a low land plant.

Regarding anthers color, I'll check with my C. pusillum.

[Anthony Darby]

The other main diference ( not easy to see in cultivation ) is that C. cretense is a mountain plant, while C. pusillum a low land plant.

Alas, my plants, from different suppliers, are just labelled "Crete" with no reference to altitude.

[Hans A.]

Anthony, I would welcome if it would be possible to tell apart one Colchicum species from another by colouration of anthers (as for many crocus is possible). Greyish brown anthers are said to be typical for C. cretense - but in my opinion the reverse does not work with C. pusillum. It might have yellow anthers but not necessary has to. In "Bulbous plants of Turkey and Iran/P.Sheasby"  there is one C. pusillum shown with greyish /brown anthers - and also here in this forum are some examples (Reply 230 + 312). A rule B. Mathew mentioned in "Smaller Bulbs" still seems to be valid -  C.cretense  flowers without leaves and C. pusillum with leaves or appear while / short after flowering.

[Darren]

Thanks all for the kind comments on that cupanii. It is one of the nicest forms I have seen and always attracts attention if I take it to group meetings. There are about 20 flowering size corms in the pot and loads of little ones. I get seed occasionally too but it rarely germinates. It was bulked up from 3 corms bought from Monocot nursery about ten years ago.
Here is a pic of it at an earlier stage when the first flowers had opened and it was only about 5cm high. It has a lovely honey scent too.
Just popped out to check the collectors number - it is SL482.

[tonyg]

I grow an S&L C cupanii labelled as var bertolinii.  It looks very similar to yours and is also quite vigorous.  Your potful is a very fine one

[Lesley Cox]

While I can't add anything whatsoever that is useful or interesting to this topic, I do want to thank all those posters of information and pictures. It all adds up to a great overall picture of the genus and gives me and many others so much pleasure.