Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Plants Wanted Or For Exchange => Topic started by: winwen on September 01, 2009, 10:25:23 AM

Title: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: winwen on September 01, 2009, 10:25:23 AM
Hi,

on two occasions in the past, I bought some crocus mathewii-bulbs (always from the same nursery) but unfortunately none of them  was nearly as deep colored as the beautiful plants in Ian Young's bulblog or the fantastic crocuses (from art600 I think) shown in the forum. I know that c. mathewii is quite variable in coloring but having only plants looking linke having been "washed out" is not really funny  :-\.
I therefore would like to ask, if someone could help me getting some of the really beautiful colored c. mathewii (bulbs or seeds).
For exchange, I could offer seeds and bulbs of Lilium alexandrae, L. nobilissimum, bulbs of L. majoense and possibly bulbs of L. ledebourii or white L. japonicum f. albomarginatum.
Best time for exchange would be in spring next year - I think!
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Anthony Darby on September 01, 2009, 12:24:15 PM
I notice Paul Christian is offering a pink form with a purple thoat.
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: winwen on September 01, 2009, 01:58:19 PM
The crocuses I mentioned above were bought from PC.
The picture attached is to show what I mean. The crocus photographed was one of the better colored.....

Beautiful -yes indeed, but far from the sensational pix that are always shown concerning Crocus mathewii here in the forum, in the blog or on the website of some nurseries. :-[
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Gerry Webster on September 01, 2009, 08:37:53 PM
If memory serves, the strongly coloured  plants of C. mathewii pictured by Art600 came from Peter Moore (Tilebarn Nursery) from whom I also had plants several years ago. Taxing my memory further, I think Peter had them directly from Brian Mathew. I lost my plants fairly quickly but did not shed too many tears for, although the colour was striking,  the flowers were insubstantial. I seem to remember Paul T commenting that his plants, also strongly coloured, had substantial flowers so, unsurprisingly, it would appear  that seed-raised C. mathewii  are quite variable in all respects. 
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Anthony Darby on September 08, 2009, 10:33:38 AM
A few years ago I had one that I'd just bought from PC come up totally devoid of any purple. What's more, the petals were cream. He replaced it with a nice dark form.
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: art600 on September 08, 2009, 11:28:21 PM
Hi,

I therefore would like to ask, if someone could help me getting some of the really beautiful colored c. mathewii (bulbs or seeds).

I am having lunch with Peter Moore tomorrow and hope to buy some more of his beautiful Crocus mathewii.  I will add a couple of pots for you and when the time is right will post them to you.  :)
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: winwen on September 09, 2009, 08:33:12 PM
Thank you so much Arthur for your help! These really are good news.
Kind regards
Erwin
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: art600 on September 10, 2009, 09:11:57 AM
Mission accomplished  8)
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Alex on September 11, 2009, 07:54:16 AM
I have a couple of large pots full of the Peter Moore form, which is a beautiful colour - you are more than welcome to one or two next year if you want any more then. I actually threw away some of the sub-FS corms this year because I just can't accommodate pot after pot of these things! But, I would hate to be without it, it's a wonderul plant.

Alex
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Maggi Young on September 11, 2009, 11:28:45 AM
I actually threw away some of the sub-FS corms this year because I just can't accommodate pot after pot of these things! But, I would hate to be without it, it's a wonderul plant.

Alex


 AAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!! Good grief, Alex, are you MAD?  I assure you there would be a good home offered through this Forum to any extra babies you may have!!
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: mark smyth on September 11, 2009, 11:44:06 AM
yes, me for one!
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: winwen on September 11, 2009, 03:18:21 PM
Arthur, Alex: Many thanks again!
I had always hoped to get some of the wonderful intensively colored Mathewiis. As Jim Archibald told me some years ago: there are enough C. mathewii but not enough intensively colored ones.

BTW: Does anyone know if C. mathewii is self fertile or self sterile?

kind regards
Erwin
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Gerry Webster on September 11, 2009, 09:19:33 PM
I have a couple of large pots full of the Peter Moore form, which is a beautiful colour - you are more than welcome to one or two next year if you want any more then. I actually threw away some of the sub-FS corms this year because I just can't accommodate pot after pot of these things! But, I would hate to be without it, it's a wonderul plant.

Alex

Alex - I'd be interested to know when you got your plants from Peter Moore & what you think of this form apart from the colour. As I noted above, I had some from him many years ago (more than 10) &, apart from the colour, I found them very disappointing & insubstantial. In fact, I remember thinking it a pity that BM was celebrated by such a miserable plant. I wonder whether Peter has since acquired a superior form?
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Alex on September 12, 2009, 11:32:55 AM
I got them in 2001 I think, don't have any photos but it is a very nice form. I've already potted them up for this year, but should have some to give away next Summer. Let me know nearer the time.
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Gerry Webster on September 12, 2009, 12:43:38 PM
Thanks Alex. I'll get in touch next year.

Gerry
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Maggi Young on September 12, 2009, 02:52:59 PM
Erwin, we have had seed on  a single clone of C. mathewii..... but I could not be 100% sure there was no hybridisation!  :-\
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Alex on September 19, 2009, 05:22:13 PM
Just for interest, here are the first flowers on the form I grow (ex Peter Moore). The markings are quite well developed

Alex
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Alex on September 19, 2009, 07:55:26 PM
And going back to what Gerry was saying, I don't think they're too insubstantial, but then this is the only form I've grown and there may well be others which are superior....
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: mark smyth on September 20, 2009, 12:03:52 AM
some pot full. I cant keep it alive  :(
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Alex on September 20, 2009, 09:34:54 AM
I wonder if you had weak forms? It really is not a delicate plant at all, and I've killed an enormous amount of stuff so I know what I'm talking about! Can probably send you a corm of this relatively robust form next Summer - if you're interested, please remind me.

Cheers,

Alex
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: mark smyth on September 20, 2009, 12:11:13 PM
Thanks Alex. I can tell you those I had were small and always fell over
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on September 20, 2009, 03:15:52 PM
Looking very good Alex !!
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Tony Willis on September 20, 2009, 05:33:21 PM
I have put pictures of my first C. mathewii to open on the crocus page. It is quite a robust plant and a very nice colour.
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Paul T on September 28, 2009, 05:34:27 AM
Alex,

Have you got a pic of that pot in full flower?  Looks like there is going to be a lot of flowers.  Very different to the form I grow, which is a pure white with a dark centre, not that creamy colour of yours.  I rather like yours though, in it's own right.  A good clump (or in your case pot) in flower would be spectacular!!
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: art600 on September 28, 2009, 12:20:24 PM
These were grown from Crocus Group seed - a P & B collection.

Colour is quite representative.
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Maggi Young on September 28, 2009, 01:09:34 PM
Would you look at the "face" of that C. mathewii in Art's pic..... is that not the most lovely thing you could imagine? Exquisite.... one of my all time favourites!  8)
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on September 28, 2009, 01:41:48 PM
Bravissimo Art !  8)
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Lesley Cox on September 28, 2009, 10:02:44 PM
That is very fine Art, superbly marked. One to strive for. :)
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Alex on September 29, 2009, 09:22:01 PM
Paul,

This is the pic I posted on the Crocus Sept 2009 thread, maybe not quite all open yet but close

Alex
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Paul T on September 30, 2009, 05:48:18 AM
Beautiful.  Very, very different to my form, but I like both of them.  8)
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: PDJ on December 17, 2009, 04:08:20 PM
Have you tried Bob Browns Nursery in the Cotswolds, they also supply by mail order, a very interesting nursery viewed at www.cgf.net.  They have several forms of C. mathewii.
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: Eric Locke on December 19, 2009, 04:10:12 PM
Have you tried Bob Browns Nursery in the Cotswolds, they also supply by mail order, a very interesting nursery viewed at www.cgf.net.  They have several forms of C. mathewii.

For a Nursery a have never heard of. What a wonderfull plant list. :o :o :o

Eric
Title: Re: Good colored Crocus mathewii
Post by: ChrisB on December 19, 2009, 04:40:58 PM
Bob Brown is almost legendary in the Hardy Plant world....  He won't keep things that don't perform, and he's a great speaker too!
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