Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Crocus => Topic started by: ArnoldT on April 03, 2017, 03:50:29 AM
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Crocus heufflianus "Dark Eyes"
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Crocus season is beginning in Australia, as we are now into autumn.
Amongst the first to flower for me was C caspius. I only have a few bulbs, generously given to me by Jamus (Jupiter), with the original bulbs coming from forum legend Otto Fauser who obtained them from, Paul Furse. The 'parent' corm has already produced a few flowers, but today one of the others in the pot surprised me by producing a multi-petalled mutant. It has 13 petals and also multiples of reproductive organs.
Unlike some freaks it's quite pretty. Very like a bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadiensis). Apologies for the picture quality. I took a quick snap with my phone. Further apologies for the grotesque wire in the shot. Blackbirds are a pestilence, and the wire's the only way I can prevent bulbs being excavated.
I'm so excited, but it could always be a one off - I'll have to wait a whole year to see if there's a repeat.
Otto, have you had any similar mutations amongst your corms?
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Crocus sieberi Tricolor.
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Anita I think it's a very attractive 'mutant', worth singling out and following to see what it does next year. Otto told me yesterday that Crocus caspius is from a very warm climate right down to or near to sea level on the Caspian sea, so a very good one for you down on the plains. Did you get any C. nudiflorus from Otto in the corms I passed to you? He tells me that it is the only stoloniferous Crocus species and a good doer in the garden. I'm still waiting for my goulimyi seedlings to reappear. I hope to have them naturalised in the garden like you do some day.
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Anita, Otto told me yesterday that Crocus caspius is from a very warm climate right down to or near to sea level on the Caspian sea, so a very good one for you down on the plains. Did you get any C. nudiflorus from Otto in the corms I passed to you? He tells me that it is the only stoloniferous Crocus species and a good doer in the garden. I'm still waiting for my goulimyi seedlings to reappear. I hope to have them naturalised in the garden like you do some day.
Jamus, The C caspius seems to have thrived in the pot, so I'll liberate a couple of corms into the garden this summer and see how it goes - not the 'mutant' of course!
My own C goulimyi seedlings from 2014 and 2015 are not up yet, nor are the corms in pots or gardens so there is time yet for your seedlings. Nudiflorus was not one of the species you share with me ... but if you have any to spare I wouldn't say no :D. I have some cyclamen to spare - the last of Marcus Harvey seeds :(
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Anita , I rather like your "double" C. caspius ,but not as handsome as the normal one . C. caspius has over the years self sown in many parts of my garden but I have never discovered a mutant . It flowers for a long period here -starting now and I have had flowers as late as June from white to pink-lilac . Look for seed capsules at or below soil level in Oct/Nov. Occasionally I get "double " flowers on a vigorous pale lilac form of C, niveus ( a Brian Mathew Number ) but the next year it is back to normality.
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C. caspius has over the years self sown in many parts of my garden but I have never discovered a mutant . It flowers for a long period here -starting now and I have had flowers as late as June from white to pink-lilac . Look for seed capsules at or below soil level in Oct/Nov. Occasionally I get "double " flowers on a vigorous pale lilac form of C, niveus ( a Brian Mathew Number ) but the next year it is back to normality.
Hi Otto, C. caspius' odd seed capsules nearly fooled me last year. I helped fertilise the blossoms with a feather and was happy to see capsules in the throats of the plants. I was waiting patiently for the capsules to start elongating as they usually do with Crocus, when I noticed that they had started to break open slightly below ground level. I used my eyebrow tweezers to carefully 'rescue' the seeds from within the open pods and collected about a dozen seeds. Tricky little chaps!
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Amongst the first to flower for me was C caspius. I only have a few bulbs, generously given to me by Jamus (Jupiter), with the original bulbs coming from forum legend Otto Fauser who obtained them from, Paul Furse. The 'parent' corm has already produced a few flowers, but today one of the others in the pot surprised me by producing a multi-petalled mutant. It has 13 petals and also multiples of reproductive organs.
Such individuals occasionally appear, but at present I know only one cultivar - C. tommasinianus 'Eric Smith' where 8 petals are normal and usual (but even then not always). Picture of it attached. I have melantherus sample which once in 2-3 years forms more flower segments than usually, and I had C. chrysanthus 'Goldmine' where 1/2 to 2/3 of flowers were semidouble, but not in last 5-6 years, so I stopped to offer it. Yours sample seem to be so named "fasciation" when for some development reasons two or more shoots grew together forming one flower in which are joined segments from all flowers from each shoot. Usually this isn't permanent and disappear in future seasons. But always it is worth to mark such individual and to check its development in future .
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Did you get any C. nudiflorus from Otto in the corms I passed to you? He tells me that it is the only stoloniferous Crocus species and a good doer in the garden.
There are several stoloniferous species. Some forms of CC. salzmannii, serotinus, some from the large "C. speciosus" complex, C. fleischeri, some C. kotschyanus forms, and always C. thirkeanus (herbertii) are stoloniferous, too. All of them are good growers in the garden, too. May be I forgot to list some. In attachment stoloniferous C. speciosus sensu lato from Iran, found in 2016.
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Very few crocuses blooming at present with me.
At first Crocus cvijicii - the most popular form from mountains of Greece. Very uniform, with extremely rare albinos in nature, but easy hybridizing with C. veluchensis and then many light, bluish and pure white seedlings can appear.
The next is typical C. cvijicii from locus classicus in Republic of Macedonia (former Yugoslavia). No one deep yellow were observed there - only pale yellow - to almost white, and by my opinion both are different species.
The third is last picture of C. olivieri Albina. About this you can read in my last book "The World of Crocuses". It is very special crocus well reproducing itself from seeds, regardless of growing between traditionally coloured bright yellow C. olivieri.
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Probably the last of this spring in my garden: Crocus minimus 'Bavella'
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when everyone is showing nice crocus flowers I have an ordinary one to post.I do not know the variety name.If someone can identify the correct name that will be great.The colour of the flowers are kind of steel blue. Somehow my cell phone camera can't capture the right colour.The picture was taken last week.
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This question is for Janis. If he can answer I will appreciate it.
What is the most hardy crocus.
In Saskatoon(Zone3) I find it difficult to grow them and if I ever grow they have to be near the foundation.
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This question is for Janis. If he can answer I will appreciate it.
What is the most hardy crocus.
In Saskatoon(Zone 3) I find it difficult to grow them and if I ever grow they have to be near the foundation.
With me the hardiest species were C. heuffelianus, C. malyi, C. fleischeri, a little less - C. korolkowii - they all alive after very mild January, when crocuses were in full bloom and followed 2 weeks with black frost (no snow at all) and temperatures around minus 30 C. When real spring started - they continued growth and I got even normal corm crop, only korolkowii although alive, but corms were smaller, some stocks turned more hardy (cv. Lucky Number) some less. Lost was 'Dytiscus' - again lost last winter which was not very cold (up to minus 20) but temperature all the time jumped up and dawn.
I think there were 5 or even 6 species which alive this horrible black frost, but at this moment I remember only those listed here.
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Here Crocus season goes to end. Only C. minimus still didn't start blooming. But some nice flowers are.
I start with still very mysterious for me crocus. I bought it as "yellow form of antalyensis" but most likely it is hybrid with mouradii or sarichinarensis (less possible, due very limited areal of last, but both in wild grow almost side by side). May be it is form of mouradii? I really don't know and can't check DNA at this moment.
Then very good hybrid between veluchensis alba and Greek cvijicii - marked with "ex" - in my system it means - superb.
Very late this spring blooms C. istanbulensis - this is true plant from locus classicus presented to me by my Turkish friends.
And as last in this entry - still extremely rare in cultivation - C. jablanicensis - I have only 4 plants, one of them doubtful as has yellow stigma, may be Macedonian cvijicii was mixed in when I sorted collected corms.
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Here C. malyi - very late bloomer, but excellent grower with me and belongs to hardiest species.
Crocus scardicus originally collected in Macedonia
Then Crocus pestalozzae - typical form
Last two pictures show most likely new species from W Turkey. I got them as present from my friend in UK when he shortened his collection. Unfortunately I know only approximate locality for it, but it resembles two mine gatherings from same region sensu lato, although quite far to West from mine localities. It belongs to annulate crocuses ("biflorus").
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some lovely crocus shown here.
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And last entry in lilac shades
Crocus suaveolens from Thomas - excellent plant collected in W Italy
Crocus veluchensis from Republic of Macedonia - something old flowers, pictured in last moment
Crocus versicolor belongs to my European favourites
and last - Crocus violaceus, earlier regarded as lilac form of pestalozzae
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Everyone who follows Crocus forum know that I'm growing very unique crocus - the single one crocus in the world with really pink flowers. It is really pure pink form of Crocus alatavicus found in wild. Now I have 3 corms of it. And I came to very difficult for me decision. I decided to sell one corm on some kind of auction. There are two reasons - in two gardens (collections) it will be more safe and protected, and the second reason is some financial problems with printing of book and with replacing of my collections to my wife's place - it became too difficult every day drive 15 km there and back to home for working with plants in my former place. So I was forced to build up new polytunnels and this is not cheap.
So I am open to your offers up to 1st of May when I will select winner, who will receive this really unique crocus. There are no other of such colour!
On pictures - on the first both pink and white alatavicus side by side, for you can compare colours, then 2 pictures with pink at different development and on the last you can see my all stock of this plant.
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With me the hardiest species were C. heuffelianus, C. malyi, C. fleischeri, a little less - C. korolkowii - they all alive after very mild January, when crocuses were in full bloom and followed 2 weeks with black frost (no snow at all) and temperatures around minus 30 C. When real spring started - they continued growth and I got even normal corm crop
Thanks Janis.
I will try to get the crocus you have experience in growing at the extreme cold.
In Saskatoon,Canada most crocus won't grow and even if grown deplete after a year or two. I like all your beautiful crocus flowers.
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Can the croconuts please suggest possible IDs for this uncertain bulb flowering in my bulb bed at the moment?
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Jamus maybe a dark form of C. salzmannii . I am sure Janis our "Crocus King" will give you the correct name . Janis your pink C. alatavicus is very beautiful !!!
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The last crocuses of this spring
C. minimus Bavella in greenhouse
and C. tommasinianus in garden
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a sunny ,warm autumn day yesterday ideal to take some photos in my garden . A favorite of mine is C. banaticus so happy in my garden and self seeding in many spots . Janis if you read this have I got the correct name on C. xantholaimos x pulchellus , I think a hybrid with pulchellus due to the white stamens . '?
Also C puringii : In 1973 I received seed labelled C speciosus coll. Mt. Demertschi , Crimea , from Freimut Claus ( see Iris clausii ) , a collector in the former East German Rep. It is identical to C. puringii in your superb new book
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and a few more ,
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a sunny ,warm autumn day yesterday ideal to take some photos in my garden . A favorite of mine is C. banaticus so happy in my garden and self seeding in many spots . Janis if you read this have I got the correct name on C. xantholaimos x pulchellus , I think a hybrid with pulchellus due to the white stamens . '?
Also C puringii : In 1973 I received seed labelled C speciosus coll. Mt. Demertschi , Crimea , from Freimut Claus ( see Iris clausii ) , a collector in the former East German Rep. It is identical to C. puringii in your superb new book
C. xantholaimos x pulchellus - correct
C. puringii - correct, nothing else is in Crimea - puringii and typical pallasii in autumn and tauricus and angustifolius in spring.
Janis
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Fabulous photos Otto and beautiful to see such happy plants. C. serotinus ssp. salzmannii looks quite a good match for my mislabeled one, and you have it there so it's a contender. Your C. xantholaimos x pulchellus is absolutely beautiful with the pronounced striping on the petals. I have quite a few nice Crocus species sown this year (from Goteborg BG) and am anxiously awaiting signs of germination.
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Crocus sieberi on Mt Ida Crete. In the third picture the beetle is eating the stigma and stamens. There were many beetles and I saw numerous flowers with the centre eaten out
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Janis I've fallen in love with Crocus minimus. I must look out for seed.
Here are some from my garden yesterday.
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I moved my Crocus laevigatus out of a pot and into the garden this year and spread it out a little. I just love the markings on the backs of the tepals.
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Crocus caspius (Collection P.F. 5035 by Paul Furse) from Otto Fauser. It is a real performer, I have two clumps now and I can see them building up gradually.
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It's always funny to see these autumn species where spring is here.
I've seen Tony pictures, it was a very snowy winter in Crete
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Hello Yann. I think that because there are so many of you in the north and so many gardener,' while there are comparatively so few of us in the south, we are used to thinking all the time of what is happening with you and your plants but I don't believe many in the north give a moment's thought to life in the southern half of the world at all.
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You're certainly right Lesley. If i take my case, spring is the moment where i travel the most for plants and so the less time that i spend on the forum. But i always take a look to southerner's posts, bringing back good memories of previous season.
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...............but I don't believe many in the north give a moment's thought to life in the southern half of the world at all.
Quite unfair, we worry about you all, all of the time :P ::) ;D
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Last Sunday I went to the foothills of Mn Pieria. Among many flowers (violas - 3 species) were fascinating. Blues were dominating below 1600 m while masses of yellows were dominating (hardly any blue colours) above 1650 m. Except the yellow violas I found Crocus cvijicii growing in profusion literally by the millions. Meadows at 1700 m were covered with them. Below 1600 m I found Crocus chrysanthous (identified by the rather thin leaves and corm tuncs) well out of flower. Crocus veluchensis also occurs in the area. However it must have been out of flower. Proof of this were 1) the wide leaves, usually wider than cvijicii, and 2)3-4 hybrids with of Crocus cvijicii x veluchensis. No matter how much I searched I could not find any more. The reason is most likely that Crocus veluchensis flowers well ahead of Crocus cvijicii.
pic 079:partial view of the N side of Mnt Olympus
134: corm of Crocus cvijicii
143, 151Q Crocus cvijicii
George Papapolymerou
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pics 182, 190 and 191: Crocus cvijicii x veluchensis
248: Mnt Pieria in the background. Highest peak at 2190 m
309: Crocus cvijicii
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290: light colour form
293: typical forms
301: another light form
272: yellow violas at 1720 m
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329: some variation in depth of colour
339: bud, always deep ornage in colour
356: polinated by bumble bee, I saw several
342, 363: Crocus cvijicii
George Papapolymerou
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George! I'm speechless - how wonderful!
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yes what a spectacle :P
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I hang my head in shame David. :-[
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I am interested to see these hybrids in the wild of Cr. cvijicii x veluchensis as they also happen in cultivation. I grew the seed from C. cvijicii for two years and they were obviously pollinated in part with veluchensis, most of the seedlings being lilac to some degree but there were various creams and yellows and even some white with cream which made me wonder if C. sieberi 'Bowles' White' was also in the mix, as all three crocuses were in two adjoining troughs whereas where C. cvijicii was on its own in a distant trough, it set no seed at all.
The best of the seedlings is a combination of lavender and apricot and about 8 years or so later still is with me but is very slow to increase.
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Janis I've fallen in love with Crocus minimus. I must look out for seed.
Here are some from my garden yesterday.
I agree, it is phantastic species. Few still were blooming wioth me some days ago.
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290: light colour form
293: typical forms
301: another light form
272: yellow violas at 1720 m
Excellent pictures, George. I was not checking forum for a long. Trip to Iran, after that work at table writing new article about new crocus found in Iran - hope will be published in May issue of The Alpine Gardener.
Your pictures are really wonderful and plants are, too.
Pity, impossible for me to go to Greece at end of May as I planned it before. Some health problems, a lot of paperwork etc.