Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Crocus => Topic started by: Janis Ruksans on December 08, 2013, 02:33:05 PM
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Weather are joking all the time. Crocuses and many other bulbs don't understand what to do. We have some snow outside, temperature in greenhouses around zero and spring crocuses (and many other bulbs - Colchicums, Hyacinthella, Muscari, reticulate irises, ornithogalums, even tulips) start to flower. Crocus hittiticus I showed in November. A lot of fleischeri stocks have long leaves and several others, too. From autumnals still are blooming Crocus laevigatus, laevigatus subsp. pumilus, C. hyemalis from Jordan and C. melantherus
Here some such runners - in tight bud due lack of sun.
Crocus chrysanthus from Ossa in Greek Macedonia
Crocus fauseri from locus classicus
Crocus graveolens
and two Colchicums I'm attaching here, too
Colchicum serpentinum
Colchicum triphyllum
Ahead an pair of nights with temperature around minus 10 C and then again around zero.
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Todays mild weather and sunshine brought out a few late Crocus here too.
Crocus tournefortii from SE Crete
C.biflorus ssp melantherus from near Didima, Peloponnese.
C.goulymi from Pyrgos Dirou Peloponnese
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I agree Janis , it is a crazy year .......
The C. biflorus melantherus is absolutely stunning Melvyn !
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C.biflorus ssp melantherus from near Didima, Peloponnese.
Melvin & Kris,
DNA researches on Crocus biflorus complex confirmed my opinion that merging of most white-blue annulate crocuses under hat of biflorus as subspecies was mistake. They are far different genetically and must be returned to species status. So Crocus melantherus and not Crocus biflorus subsp. melantherus.
See:
Feddes Repertorium 123 (2012) 1, 73–79
Chromosome numbers of Turkish Crocus (Liliiflorae, Iridaceae)
and their geographical distribution
INGO SCHNEIDER*, 1, HELMUT KERNDORFF & ERICH PASCHE
Keywords: Crocus biflorus sensu lato, chromosome numbers, taxonomy, distribution, Turkey
And it is valid for European crocuses of so named(!) biflorus group. In my Crocus book I raised back status of melantherus, because hadn't courage to widen my opinion without subport on genetical level. By the way - now many scientists not subport subspecies status at all. May be my speciosus group crocuses must be regarded as species, too. Unfortunately I haven't possibilities to make DNA research on them. I'm only retaired amateur.
Janis
P.S. You will save space on label, too! Ha-ha...
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Thanks Janis !
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Thank you Janis, I will alter my labels!
Did you consider differentiating between those with striped markings on the outer petals and those with stippled markings?
The photo shows the two forms growing together, I have always found there are far fewer of the stippled form in any population.
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yes, a very strange year...
here my sternbergia lutea ssp angustifolia is still in bloom next to a wall despite -6°c...colchicum autumnale pleniflorum, in flower since mid-october, is still in full bloom, now under a box with leaves and insulation to cover from cold...
maybe the cold keeps them in bloom for longer...
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Thank you Janis, I will alter my labels!
Did you consider differentiating between those with striped markings on the outer petals and those with stippled markings?
The photo shows the two forms growing together, I have always found there are far fewer of the stippled form in any population.
Such variation is absolutely normal and you can find striped and stipled forms in many (may be in most) of species. Sometimes such forms are quite rare but sometimes allmost in equal numbers and growing side by side. Here you can see Crocus melantherus pictured at same locality in same day (Greece, Peloponess, 2008)
Janis
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Some more ilustrations about variability. On attached pictures Crocus taseliensis - forms pictured in wild and two pictures of cultivated plants. Usually anthers are with black connective but I collected few with plain yellow anthers, too (no pictures here)
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Fantastic images Melvyn and Janis ! All superb specimen !
The striped Crocus taseliensis is simply stunning Janis !
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The striped Crocus taseliensis is simply stunning Janis !
Yes, I agree. The striped one is an eye‐catcher :P
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Tomorrow is real Christmas - our pagan festival, when real new year will start (21st of December at 19-11 in evening!). Our family will come together and we will celebrate this night with donations to our ancient Gods, dancing and singing and masquerade.
Greetings to all Croco-nuts with returning of Sun and elongating of Day!
Here winter still didn't started, no more crocuses in bloom, but buds are shown by C. korolkowii. Blooms some Iranian reticulata irises.
Janis
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A seedling of Crocus laevigatus from JJA Seeds is blooming now. Its flower is very small. The plastic label in third picture is 15mm in width. Perhaps some more seedlings will flower next season.
347.421 : CROCUS LAEVIGATUS Greece, Crete, Mt. Vouvala. Ex an A. Edwards coll. (An exquisitely tiny (though not quite so small as an Omalos coll. we grow) white flowered form, sometimes with fine maroon-black feathering outside.)
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Very nice, Tatsuo. Cretan laevigatus is very small and it is reason why I described it as subsp. pumilus.
Sincerely Yours
Janis
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Cretan laevigatus is very small and it is reason why I described it as subsp. pumilus.
I see, Janis :) I thought I forgot to feed them when I spot this flower at first time, it's so tiny.
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Oh yes- thats a real grazy year!
We had only 2or 3 days to -9°C.
Last weeks we had only plus at day and few minus at night and no snow.
Today are 6°C!
My crocusses looks partly 2cm out!
Kind regards! Daniel
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Today we have +10 C. It is sunny. Even in cloudless last night temperature didn't drop below +5C. Incredible!
In greenhouse soon must start mass blooming - a lot of fat shoots are coming out, and some even started blooming (C. hittiticus almost ended at this time - may be must be replaced to autumn bloomers - ha-ha) - fleischeri, chrysanthus, alatavicus, korolkowii, several biflorus. I'm attaching here Crocus fauseri. Now I replaced pot to my bathroom windowsill for pollination.
Janis
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Crazy weather indeed!
Otto Fauser is one of our favourite "plant" friends - we were speaking on the phone the other day and now we have the pleasure to enjoy your photo of the Crocus named for him - and what a beautiful crocus it is . Such a gorgeous colouring. I hope one day we will grow this fine bulb, and be able to think of dear Otto whenever we see it.
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Crazy weather indeed!
Otto Fauser is one of our favourite "plant" friends - we were speaking on the phone the other day and now we have the pleasure to enjoy your photo of the Crocus named for him - and what a beautiful crocus it is . Such a gorgeous colouring. I hope one day we will grow this fine bulb, and be able to think of dear Otto whenever we see it.
Indeed ....a great Crocus named after a great man!
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This bud of unusual colour came out of pot of C. fauseri on my windowsill where it was placed for pollination.
Janis
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Today in greenhouse (unheated polytunell with all doors and windows open) - outside + 7, tomorrow's broadcast +8 C
Crocus atticus 'Bowles' White'
Crocus korolkowii and some others...
Janis
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Real nice, Janis!
When they bloom else at you?
Daniel
(10°C, too)
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Today in greenhouse (unheated polytunell with all doors and windows open) - outside + 7, tomorrow's broadcast +8 C
Crocus atticus 'Bowles' White'
Crocus korolkowii and some others...
Janis
Very cheerful Janis ! Here temperature even around 10 C . But this maybe lead to danger when winter arrive in january and february ....
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Global weather forecast informs that no winter will come here during January (I trust to this) and in February, too (quite doubtful). I'm bringing pots of crocuses one by other inside and when flowers open - I'm pollinating them. Then three days on bathrooms windowsill and after that back to polytunnel. On attached picture pollination of C. fauseri.
As my customers know - I'm finishing with commercial growing and my business will be followed by my step-daughter Līga, who this autumn planted all commercial stocks and now are working on new catalogue which in internet version we will publish (I hope) at end of first week of January. Pictures and text is ready, but it takes time to replace items on home page and to check everything. On second picture you can see me and Līga discussing about pictures for catalogue.
Janis
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The last crocuses of going 2013 - various aquisitions of Crocus flerischeri from Chios Island, Greece - pictured today.
Janis
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We have seen some amazing firework displays on TV- celebrating the New Year from Auckland and Sydney - but these fantastic flowers are a more lovely way to signal a new year!
Best wishes to you , Janis and Guna, for health and happiness in the coming year, and all our congratulations to Līga in her new enterprise!