Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Crocus => Topic started by: ChrisB on March 02, 2011, 01:10:38 PM
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(Edit by maggi to move to March thread)
Two crocus just coming into bloom now I've fetched them into the greenhouse. First one from the Discussion Weekend, and a screaming bright orange it is too, I'll take a better pic once the potful come out.
Crocus flavus MT4578 (Matthew Tomlinson collection)
The second purchased from member table at local group labelled Crocus pestalozzae var caerulus, again its just coming into flower and I seem to recall had been grown from seed. Flower is very small, not sure if its because the corm is young or the actual habit of the species.
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Nobody seems to have made a topic for March so I'll start:
Crocus abantensis
Crocus vernus subsp. vernus var. heuffelianus 'Carpathian Wonder' (twice)
Crocus vernus subsp. vernus var. heufelianus 'Dark Eyes'
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lovely crocus from all - 'Dark Eyes' is nicely contrasted and has a nice goblet shape. 8)
1st. croci flowers opened yesterday in my meadow/garden, too.
C. candidus - a gift from Igor. Many thanks! ;)
C. biflorus ssp. biflorus 'Parkinsonii' - nice little star in my meadow
C. biflorus ssp. weldenii 'Miss Vain' - reliable and early in flower
C. chrysanthus 'Skyline' - like cv. 'Jeannine' split of in many tiny corms - only a few will flower this year.
C. graveolens -my little stinky! nice but has a terrible smell ::)
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Good to see Winter is disapearing from your garden Armin !!
I have some to show as well :
1) Crocus heuffelianus "Wildlife" - in the sun, but too cold to open.. :(
2) & 3) Crocus chrysanthus "Prins Claus" - an old cultivar I quite like
4 & 5) Crocus sieberi ssp atticus "Stunner" - brought home from the Harlow show 8)
6 & 7) Crocus vernus "Krasne Polje" - also newly acquired - much darker than the picture shows..
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Crocus season is going to fast to read all for me :)
I need some advice for my C. pestalozzae. They don't seem happy at all :(
I think my growing conditions are to dry for it! because in wild it lives in low meadows which is under water. The second reason my soil is calciferous it may not like this. Even though its native habitation is Istanbul same like my garden!
I have seen Tony GOODE has very helty C. pestalozzae ;)
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I thought this crocus was chrysanthus, but, now that I have Janis' book, I think it falls under C. flavus flavus. Can anyone confirm this for me?
I had purchased a bag of C. 'Advance', but they are all blooming as some blue-white, a bit like Prinz Claus, but not so round and a bit less intense in colour. What a drag!
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I thought this crocus was chrysanthus, but, now that I have Janis' book, I think it falls under C. flavus flavus. Can anyone confirm this for me?
I had purchased a bag of C. 'Advance', but they are all blooming as some blue-white, a bit like Prinz Claus, but not so round and a bit less intense in colour. What a drag!
Most easy way - check the corm tunics after harvesting - chrysanthus has ringlike tunics at base (annulate), flavus - fibrous - longitudinally ribbed, without any rings at base.
Janis
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BBC Spice Trail - right now - features Crocus
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Dark Eyes is nice isn't it. I went through 4 bulbs a few years ago, bummer.
Luc are you sure thats Wildlife? Maybe Brian Duncan, I think thats a lighter pink/purplish color. Don't have it, but I recall seeing a picture someplace.
Wildlife from last spring
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Today Latvian Radio announced "jubilee" - this is the 100th day with uninterrupted snow cover in Latvia!. Last night we got some additional snow, although snow level now is lower than in January (then 47 cm), still plenty and a pair of very cold nights ahead.
I started to fall in some panic - what happens with my bulbs under cover and as I still have few empty spots on my bathrooms windowsill, yesterday I brought a pair of my Crocus pots inside. They got some frost as were hard, but after an hour in quite cold room soil defrosted and today marvellously blooms Crocus ancyrensis. On first two pictures form with light flower tube (traditional) on second two - with more spectacular deep purple flower tube. On another pot with Crocus abantensis buds are coming out and I hope blooming tomorrow. Both were brought in for intercrossing.
Janis
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Luc are you sure thats Wildlife? Maybe Brian Duncan, I think thats a lighter pink/purplish color. Don't have it, but I recall seeing a picture someplace.
Wildlife from last spring
I've obtained is 'Wildlife' Guff.. :-\ I guess it's right.
The flower colour is somewhat darker than the picture though !
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Another pot which I brought in yesterday was with Crocus abantensis dark form originally received from Gothenburg Botanical garden. I wanted to cross it with ancyrensis (see my previous entry). I selected the less advanced pot with ancyrensis and most advanced with abantensis. C. ancyrensis started to bloom if few hours after bringing it, abantensis yesterday pushed out buds and today flowers opened. C. abantensis don't like growing in greenhouse pots - most likely too hot in late spring, so corms are much smaller than on outside grown plants. In result - not so abundant blooming as on ancyrensis. But it was sufficient for pollens for all ancyrensis flowers, and no problems for backpollination with ancyrensis pollens on abantensis flowers.
On last picture you can see my bathrooms windowsill with Crocus pots for pollination.
In greenhouse many pots are with blooms under cover waiting when frost period will end, not so dramatically than with spring blooming colchicums, where all are in full bloom below glasswool sheets, but in any case no very pleasant to see this.
Janis
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Picture Sizes:
A reminder that pictures posted to the forum are preferred to be a maximum of 760 pixels wide.
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Nice crocuses every one.
This is Crocus 'Advance' (photo 1)
And Crocus 'Blue Pearl' (photo 2)
Crocus 'Cream Beauty' (photo 3 and 4)
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Spring greeting from my garden.
Crocus veluchensis from Mount Olympus
Crocus biflorus ssp. weldenii from Croatia
Crocus chrysanthus from Kaimaktkalan
Colchicum dörfleri from Vermion
Colchicum hungaricum from Croatia
Karl
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I don't have a collection of crocus and nothing 'special' but 'Ard Schenk' never fails and I think it's special.
We've had no rain for weeks but the sun hasn't shone either, and I began to think they were going to go over without opening. Today the sun shone on them and they opened.
Crocus 'Ard Schenk'
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Ibrahim,
why don't you soak them with a watering can to imitate floated meadow?
Luc,
fine croci. 'Prinz Claus' is a nice appearance but I find it a weak doer in my meadow. Do you kept it for a long time?
Is there a significant difference between 'Firefly' and 'Stunner'?
Jamie,
the rounded flowers resemble cv. "Yellow Mammoth" (angustifolius x flavus). It has a few thin short stripes on the outside.
I believe almost everybody made similar bad experiences after having bought cheap croci from garden center or super markets.
Goldilocks substitutes E.P. Bowles, Dorothy subst. Fuscotinctus or Gipsy Girl, C.etruscus 'Zwanenburg' subst. any blue flowering species...
It's a bit of lottery... ::)
Janis,
good luck for cross pollination and a bit warmer conditions with less snow and frost!
Frankie,
nice cultivars. 'Advance' is so nice but in my meadow (heavy loam soil) it is one of the very weak bloomers :'(.
Karl,
marvelous croci!
Like the velvet veluchensis, purple stem chrysanthus and the well contrasted biflorus ssp. weldenii 8)
Graham,
nice clump! 8) I agree 'Ard Schenk' is an excellent large flowering chrysanthus hybrid/cultivar.
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I had purchased a bag of C. 'Advance', but they are all blooming as some blue-white, a bit like Prinz Claus, but not so round and a bit less intense in colour. What a drag!
Does anyone know a 100% reliable source for Crocus Advance? I have bought it twice and been disappointed twice.
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Armin thanks for advice I do that each week but it seems that is not enough,
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Mark, I got mine at the Discussion Weekend last year and they have been stunning. Luit brought them....
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Luc,
fine croci. 'Prinz Claus' is a nice appearance but I find it a weak doer in my meadow. Do you kept it for a long time?
Is there a significant difference between 'Firefly' and 'Stunner'?
Hi Armin,
I don't grow "Firefly" Armin, I had not heard of the name "Stunner" before either, but as I saw the potfol being offered for sale, I couldn't resist... ;D... as happens so (too) often... ::)
I must admit, I grew Prins Claus some years ago and then suddenly lost it for no obvious reason. This is a newly planted (last autumn) clump, so I'll have to wait and see again....
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My easy days finished. Although outside still is more than half meter of snow, temperature started to rise and today I took away covering in my greenhouses and... Crocus flowers exploded as firework. Second half of day up to dark were passed with camera - so now you will have "floods" of my pictures every day. And not only Crocuses - Snowdrops, Eranthis, spring colchicums, reticulata irises etc. etc. Only days are too short. So in this entry
At first Crocus biflorus adamii - from Bulgaria and Armenia - quite far distance, may be different, but must be checked
Next two although labeled as adamii, most likely are different. They comes from Iran. I mostly like this one with yellow flush on outside
Follows Crocus adanensis - note the prominent white zone surrounding yellow throat
The one of my brightest C. olivieri
and as last in this entry - again member of biflorus family - subsp. artvinensis
Janis
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Now Crocus biflorus subsp. atrospermus. First two pictures are from type collection of Helmut Kerndorff and Erich Pasche, others are my acquisitions. Some doubt about this black anthered plant. I don't remember that I collected such in wild, but may be... Those samples are carefully kept and replanted from pot to pot, to avoid some mix. Problem with this very spectacular subspecies is that it can be identified with certainity only when you receive seed crop - if they are black - it means OK!
Janis
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For some break in blue - now some quite unusual forms of Crocus chrysanthus. At first those with black anthers or at least with black connective. Then typical chrysanthus, collected at Ossa - that one I got by wish of Jim Archibald. And as "cream" touch - natural hybrid between chrysanthus and biflorus isauricus.
Janis
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Janis You made a süper entry to your crocus season :) realy admirable crocuses!
First I was thinking that kind of adanensis with white corona might be some hybridation with paschei!
A püre adanensis should has püre yellow throat. isn't it!
Your adamii also looks different them mines!
For me the best ones are first two chrysanthus. I was planning to see them also last week but my time was limited so I had to shorten thr trip.
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And your atrospermus with black anthers. I don't believe that it can't be neither atrospermus nor ionopharynx. I have visited a atrospermus location last year but there were no one with balck anthers :-\
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Here's two whose labels were lost in the recent ice age.
edit by maggi to the pix
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Janis the last two Crocus chrysanthus are incredible wow stunning finds you must be over the moon with them finds.
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Luc,
fine croci. 'Prinz Claus' is a nice appearance but I find it a weak doer in my meadow. Do you kept it for a long time?
Here's my Crocus Prins Claus group next to the raised bed. Doing (still)? well since at least 4 years.
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Does anyone know a 100% reliable source for Crocus Advance? I have bought it twice and been disappointed twice.
Mine came from Kevock about 5 years ago, I bought 6 different cultivars for naturalising in the lawn. 'Advance' is surviving, but not doing particularly well (nor is Zwanenburg bronze or Romance). The ones that are doing best are Ard Schenk, Bluebird and Negro Boy.
Pictures are:
Crocus 'Advance'
Crocus 'Ard Schenk'
Crocus 'Bluebird' and 'Negro Boy'
Crocus 'Negro Boy'
And not in the lawn, but in the rockery, seems to almost glow:
Crocus 'Whitewell Purple'
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This morning - four still unidentified Crocus biflorus samples, the first - from Jim Archibald, others from my acquisitions.
Janis
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Few more
Exceptionally early runner of Crocus atticus subsp. nivalis. One is blooming, others only shows noses out of pot.
Crocus biflorus subsp. crewei from Erich Pasche
Crocus cyprius belongs to one of the most spectacular species in series Biflori although Brian just expressed opinion that may this one must be included in subsp. range under C. biflorus. Stock comes from Rik
Crocus hartmannianus from Dirk. True to name although anthers are yellow - would like to have black anthered sample. May be someone can offer?
And as last in this entry 3 different stocks of Crocus hittiticus - The first from Jim Archibald, the second collected by myself and the third bought from Norman Stevens. Note speckled back on my stock, distinctly striped on Norman's. In all pictures you can note that inner petals are wider than outer - characteristic only to reticulatus and hittiticus.
Janis
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And the last for this morning - Crocus biflorus isauricus and its natural hybrids with chrysanthus which grow side by side on Gembos Yaila. The first picture is from plants received by Jim Archibalds wish, KPPZ - from Gothenburg's BG collection.
Janis
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Totally amazing pictures Janis !!!
All are superb and the hybrids are awesome !
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Here's two whose labels were lost in the recent ice age.
Arnold, your second photo shows a late flowering Crocus laevigatus 'Fontenayi'
The first is not as easy to ID, could be a Crocus sieberi form, perhaps 'Violet Queen' or ssp atticus.
Wonderful photos Janis and all the others.... :o
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Thomas:
Thanks I know I've had those. After years of lost labels and relocated bulbs who knows....
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Every hour opens more and more flowers. Om the first picture - overall view of one spring bed during watering.
The plants on the first 3 pictures is named as biflorus adamii from Iran. But I'm not certain is it correct.
On following two you can check the variability of throat color in Crocus adanensis
This spring seriously delayed so the earliest and midseazon species blooms together - see C.alatavicus
And one more of Crocus biflorus atrospermus
Janis
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Few more pictures of my best Iranian gathering - I still didn't name it. There are two forms selected and from each are side and top views
Another beauty, which in mysterious way disappear from my records and even from planting books is this one - named biflorus 'Myddelton Cream' - would be pleased to know, who sent it to me?
Two pictures of stocks at present regarded as biflorus isauricus, but I suppose it is another, new one
And last two are two another unidentified biflorus - one I got as C. aerius as from Zigana pass, but it isn't aerius
Another comes from Malatya district, and I think that it is not taurii or munzurense (the last still not published (?) so difficult to decide.
Janis
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My march crocuses,,
Crocus malyi
Crocus vernus Michaels Purple
kasun
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Again few yellows
Some chrysanthus with black anthers or black connective
Crocus fleischeri - the first stock with very dark brown-black throat
and as last - C. gargaricus - the first flower
Janis
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Marvelous photos Janis and all others :o 8) 8)
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Armin thanks for advice I do that each week but it seems that is not enough,
Ibrahim,
the croci leaves are yellowish - if it is not too hot or dry they may suffer from lack of Fe(II) (because of your calciferous soil, high ph-value (ph >8?)?
You can fertilze them with a weak dosis of Ferrosulfat (FE(II)SO4) solved in water (10g solved in 10ltr water/qm poured in the morning). Repeat treatment every 14 days.
Basically it lowers ph-value and supports the production of chlorophyll => darker green leaves.
But be careful! Too high dosis burns the croci leaves!
In Germany this fertilizer salt it is commercially available to avoid iron deficiancy on plants and is mainly used for lawns as it also limits the growth of moss (and when swallowed kills slugs.)
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Janis - a magnificent treat to see all these wonderful variants. Thank You!
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Thanks Tony and others.
Now all the days are passed in greenhouse with camera in one hand, identification key's in another + paintbrush for pollination. For the forth year I'm bringing inside for controlled pollination two pots of each with 5 corms in each from CC. alatavicus, michelsonii and korolkowii. Alatavicus is pollinated in one pot with korolkowii, in another with michelsonii and so with others, too. But I still didn't receive any seed. Regardless of equal chromosome number, this seem impossible.
Yesterday brought in pots of chrysanthus with black stigmas and black anthers. For crossing used cv. Sunspot, black anthered sample from Denizli (from David Stephens)_ and my own gatherings with black stigma and with black anthers from Gembos Yaila. I want to make plant where both stigma and anthers will be yellow. Greatest hopes I'm putting just on plants from Gembos Yaila as those must be with identical chromosome number.
Now I'm showing Crocus hittiticus from Gulek Bogazi - quite dark blue colored form
Another hybrid from Gembos Yaila between chrysanthus and biflorus isauricus
Flowers of Crocus leichtlinii covers the pots surface
Then follows two pictures of so dark blue biflorus nubigena, that I even put question mark on its label
Next is much more typical nubigena and as last - very light pseudonubigena - recurved petals shows that it is too hot in greenhouse and yesterday I for the first time opened windows to lower temperature.
Today is cloudy and I hope the sprint of blooming will lower a little giving more time to think and to work on.
Ibrahim, hope horrible snowfalls reaching Turkey not damaged your collection.
Janis
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Outside still are cloudy, so I can post few more pictures from yesterday.
At first one of the easiest in gardens biflorus - subsp. pulchricolor. On the first traditional colors but not very far from Abant I found population where many specimens were of very light color, here two pictures of one such beauty.
And in this entry two pictures of subsp. punctatus.
Janis
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Mystery with Myddelton Cream was solved. In some way instead of Myddelton Cream, in my planting books this pot was registered as Macedonian Ivory, so Myddelton Cream was deleted from lists. As I'm recommending in my book - each pot has two labels - one inserted deep with full data, another to see the name. So I now know that this one I got from Marcus Harvey (Australia) in 2009. Regardless of travel from "down under" and reverse climate it acclimatized very well and now instead of one corm I have 3 flowering plants and one without flowers. So 'Middleton Cream' made long travel - at first from UK to Australia and now back to Northern hemisphere, only to Latvia. Would be pleased to know - is it still grown in UK? May be someone know more about its origin?
From pictures this case two biflorus group plants - with names which can confuse. Crocus tauricus comes from Crimea on North coast of Black sea and name delivers from ancient name of Crimea - Tauria. On both pictures this sensationally red toned specimen found by me on Tschatir dag Yaila in spring 2009 - well acclimatised regardless of replanting at blooming time, it made first flower in cultivation on second year. Hope it will start increasing, too.
The other one grows on opposite side of Black sea - it is C. biflorus subsp. taurii, named by Taurus mountains. Quite similar to pulchricolor, but having more leaves. Very widespread entering Iran and quite far to South in Turkey. May be will be splitten by researches of M. Kamerlander & Erich Pasche.
Janis
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What a precious tauricus you found, Janis :o I'm completely enchanted by its reddish tone!
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Janis
You keep delighting us with your examples of Crocus variability. The tauricus is stunning, and the taurii and excellent.
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Today weather was something cloudy and crocuses didn't opened too widely, so a lot of pictures again.
After that is one of Crocus biflorus adamii forms - it comes from Iran
The first is two albinos of Crocus abantensis - one pure white, another slightly bluish - both collected at Abant Heights.
After that two different forms of Crocus ancyrensis - I mostly like with purple flower tube, but other with creamy is not less beautiful.
Next two are from stock which confused me - I got it as Crocus aerius, but really it is some of biflorus with black connective on anthers, but seem to be too rounded for isauricus. It was reported as collected at Zigana pass but I don't know there such crocus.
Following 3 pictures are from very interesting crocus. Such forms and subspecies are known from W Turkey, but this one comes from Eastern part of Turkey.
Janis
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As the first one more picture of red C. tauricus - now with more opened flower
After that two very interesting forms of C. biflorus - note the almost black outer mark and flower tube on LST-109. Both seem from same subspecies and were collected not far one from other. Both has brownish cataphylls and my first opinion was that those stocks are damaged by frost, but now flowers came out. Hope all will be OK.
Another blue biflorus but from location far to East and with silvery cataphylls.
Then few chrysanthus - the first with black anthers. Not very good composed picture but well shows black anthers
Following is cv. 'Black Fire' sent me last autumn by Rik. Corm was small and I didn't suppose its blooming, but it flowers. Nice!
Next is chrysanthus with black stigma. Very beautiful with large flowers from Gembos Yaila. Unfortunately this spring I don't like my 'Sunspot' stock. Flowers didn't look perfect. I pollinated everyone flower of it but will keep it separately from other crocuses. I'm afraid that it got common problem of crocuses grown in large commercial nursery in thousands and more numbers
From traditional chrysanthus - here form with lilac tube
and as last - 'Myddelton Cream' with open flowers.
Janis
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So 'Myddelton Cream' made long travel - at first from UK to Australia and now back to Northern hemisphere, only to Latvia. Would be pleased to know - is it still grown in UK? May be someone know more about its origin?
Janis, some information about Crocus 'Myddelton Cream' ---- although the reference for this bulb is spelled as Middleton in the AGS Index, it is referred to in the report of the award of a P.C.to the plant in 2001 as 'Myddelton Cream', which, since the plant originated from E.A. Bowles at Myddleton House, seems likely to be the correct spelling.
The plant was given to Alan Edwards by Ray Cobb who had been given the bulbs directly from E.A. Bowles in 1954. Bowles writes of his aquisition of the plant in his book "My Garden in Spring"
There is this info and more in the AGS bulletin of December 2001, Volume 69, pages 510 to 511 plus a photo by Alan Edwards of C. 'Myddelton Cream'
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Many thanks, Maggie. I'm not growing many cultivars, but this one looks so special and its traveling to Australia and back - makes nice story.
Now few more pictures in last for today entry:
The first is C. biflorus subsp. crewei - traditional form, received from Jim Archibald last autumn
Then one of European species - Crocus dalmaticus,
Follows three color forms of C. danfordiae - flowers of it are extremely small but very nice in pots, especially when planted densely
Wild Crocus flavus subsp. flavus, collected in NW Turkey (Asiatic part)
and as the last ones - different color forms of Crocus hittiticus - with lilac base color, and two whites - with dotted (speckled) back of petals and nicely striped.
Janis
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Wonderful pictures, Janis, I keep coming back to them. Thank you. :) :)
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Today is very cold and wet. Strong wind and all the day snow changes to rain and back. Prefair to sit at fireplace with glass of wine, instead of going to greenhouse. So only few entries with pictures maid one-two days ago
At first very nice Crocus biflorus subsp. ionopharynx. Not very typical sample, but indeed beautiful.
After that follows several pictures of hybrids between biflorus isauricus and chrysanthus (pict. 4 & 5 and pict. 6 & 7 are from same plant - from side and from top)
Picture 8 - overall view of those hybrids
On last picture = various stocks of C. biflorus subsp. isauricus
Janis
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Janis
Were the isauricus x chrysanthus crosses made by you and did you do it both ways, hence the different colours?
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Usually Central Asian species belongs to the earliest crocuses. This season they are early, but no so as usually and few stocks still didn't started blooming. Now I'm showing Crocus korolkowii cultivars. The first is white form received from Czech Republic. Next id Snow Leopard from John Grimshaw (I have another Snow Leopard from Holland - it's back color is closer to Albus). Names of cultivars are below pictures. Mostly tried to show back's of petals, only from one of my last selections - Orange Glow are both - side and top view. This seedling surprised me by very deep orange color competing with best of chrysanthus.
On last picture you can see me watching my crocuses (picture made by my wife Guna)
Janis
Crocus korolkowii Alba -02.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Snow Leopard -06.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Dark Throat -09.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Mountains Glory -08.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Spring Cocktail -01.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Yellow Tiger -07.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Orange Glow -04.JPG
Crocus korolkowii Orange Glow -05.JPG
Watching crocuses.JPG
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Janis
Were the isauricus x chrysanthus crosses made by you and did you do it both ways, hence the different colours?
No, they all are natural hybrids from Gembos Yaila in Turkey - most likely there met C. isauricus and chrysanthus with identical chromosome numbers. I saw many places where met chrysanthus and biflorus but in only very few localities I found somre rare hybrid. On Gembos just the opposite - difficult to find plants which would look as pure species.
Janis
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In this entry I will start with Crocus x paulinae - natural hybrid between Crocus ancyrensis and abantensis (successfully repeated by myself in nursery, too). On the first picture is this plant in wild, on second - the same in my nursery. Here it seem darker than in nature, may be for the season. It seem that several crocuses this spring are brighter than usually, may be for very cold winter.
After that two pictures showing variability of Spanish Crocus nevadensis.
And as the last ones - two hybrids between C. reticulatus and angustifolius selected by Leonid Bondarenko from Lithuania - C. x leonidii 'Nida' and 'Ego'.
Just got call from one of my Lithuanian friends - he lost this winter all his crocuses, no one left in outside garden and in greenhouses - remained only white roots. All corms are eaten by rodents. I don't know what will be in my garden - our problem was very deep snow falling on unfrozen soil, which remained such all the winter - so rodents had great fest...
Janis
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Once upon a time when I was much younger and knew less I decided to collect all Crocus available. At that time it was feasible, no internet, no mail order possibilities - at last I didn't know about it - and few cultivars in the nurseries. In a way that was a good time!
When I see all the beautiful unimaginable color forms Janis shows I get overwhelmed! But I like it! Don't stop, Janis ;D
Here's my first this spring - nothing to boast of but still - spring is coming ;) Is it vernus or tomasinianus struggling with old leaf?
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Janis, Your crocus are wonderful - the hybrids are very interesting, but my favourite is the white and purple nevadensis.But I am puzzled by the name, crocuses from Nevada????? ???
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Crocus has a distribution in North Africa; North East, Eastern & South Eastern Spain but I think the name has more to do with its appearance in early spring after the snowfall ( nevada) than for its association with the Sierra Nevada mountains. :-\
http://www.srgc.org.uk/genera/logdir/2010Mar281269808707Crocus_nevadensis.pdf
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As Maggi says, "nevada" = snow-covered in Spanish. It is part of the name of several mountains.
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Janis, Your crocus are wonderful - the hybrids are very interesting, but my favourite is the white and purple nevadensis.But I am puzzled by the name, crocuses from Nevada????? ???
From Spain!
Janis
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Here quite cold and cloudy, some sun offered only next week. So today I'm posting last pictures of this week. Still many will come as at present only ~ half of pots are in bloom.
In this entry Crucus biflorus nubigena and pseudonubigena. Note the variability of petals outside in pseudonubigena.
Janis
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This entry I will start with Crocus paschei.
Then two forms of Crocus biflorus punctatus - note the dotted back of petals
Again two pictures of Crocus tauricus and one more beauties from C. biflorus taurii (about names I wrote earlier)
The last is C. suaveolens from Potterton's nursery. Surprisingly, but it made huge leaves in autumn and now flowers are partly hided between leaves.
One question to croconuts - two years ago I bought crocus under name Crocus olivieri x Tanger. Can someone help me with some information - what it is and who offered this one for trade? It is one of very few cases where I lost data about origin of stock.
Janis
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Crocus tommasinianus albus (with faint blue lines) is open
Gerd
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A few late flowering species still looking good here.
Crocus corsicus - variable when raised from seed.
Crocus minimus - seed rasied ex 'Bavella' surprisingly uniform
Crocus kosaninii - a nice feathered form.
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Nice pictures from all,
here some from me:
Cr.aerius Soganli
biflorus ssp.pulchricolor, one plant without yellow throat
angustifolius 'Bronze Form'
two seedlings from Cr.heuffelianus ssp.scepusiensis f.leucostigma
( gargaricus ssp.) herbertii
veluchensis from Rila, this is the mother from 'Rainbow Gold'
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Although I was very busy today working on lecture for Hardy Plant Societies meeting next weekend, due fantastic weather - we had + 10 C - another half passed in greenhouse with crocuses. So I will continue floods of my pictures. Hope you are not tired by them... ;D
Now I will start with few Crocus abantensis forms - white, cv. 'Azkaban's Escapee' (by Harry Poter novels), and traditional blue, may be darker in shade than usually offered.
Then two pictures of plant at present regarded as biflorus adamii from Iran
Follows picture of Crocus aerius from NE Turkey and as last -
Crocus biflorus alexandrii from Falakro - where it exactly is I don'\t know as the sample I got from late Jim Archibald by his wish. It is my first alexandrii from nature.
Janis
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This is very strange crocus-year here. Seems that crocus colours are darker and brighter this season as in other years. Some which I know as almost white now are more yellowish, blue's are brighter, too. Seem that some frost damage happened, too. Pots positioned at outer side of raised bed flowers unevenly - those corms at outer side flowers later than those from same pot which are at inner side. Very unusual is flowering time, too. Still blooms michelsonii and alatavicus, few korolkowii only started today but such cv. as Varzob and Dytiscus still shoved only noses.
This year bloomed few korolkowii varieties of extreme beauty.
Very famous is cv. 'Snow Leopard' - raised by John Grimshaw. I got 2 years ago 2 very poorly looking corms and never hoped that they will alive. They were sent me by John after Wisley trial and were seriously damaged by mites. They perfectly match the description of cv. and has deep blue throat, although petal color this year is more creamy. Another stock I got from Holland - of same beauty, but without blue throat and really identical with plants got many years ago from Czech republic as cv. Alba. So I suppose that better to give it new name.
And as last - fantastic beauty of cv. Apricot, received from Sjaak. Many, many thanks for this beauty!
Janis
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A nice view of the exterior markings
Croc. bif.Adami Serevan
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On this entry only 2 species - both from Central Asia - pictured yesterday - the first from C. alatavicus. It is very uniform and variability you can see only in colour of petals outside when flowers are closed and something in shape of flower segments.
All others are from Crocus michelsonii - Iranian forms - showing far greater variability in color and in shape of petals.
Janis
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Snow Leopard is very beautiful.
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Does anyone know a 100% reliable source for Crocus Advance? I have bought it twice and been disappointed twice.
It was one I had hoped to order from Marcus Harvey in Tasmania this summer but in the end, financial considerations had to take precedence and I didn't send an order at all. Marcus is very reliable with naming (except for N. cantabricus!) but it's probably too late for this year. Try him next Dec.
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Here's one from Dirk in 2008 which came as Crocus corsicusCol de Bavilla but having read Janis' book maybe it is C. minimus ???
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Here's one from Dirk in 2008 which came as Crocus corsicusCol de Bavilla but having read Janis' book maybe it is C. minimus ???
David i wouldn't be disappointed,its lovely.I have just had to bin 3 crocus sp through virus that i bought from PC GUTTED.
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Here's one from Dirk in 2008 which came as Crocus corsicusCol de Bavilla but having read Janis' book maybe it is C. minimus ???
Looks like C corsicus - the two species do have overlapping distribution although may occupy different habitat. Compare it with pics of C minimus 'Bavella' in Janis book or those I posted recently of this and C corsicus. Petal shape and size can help distinguish these two as can examining the corm tunic ..... but I cannot recall which one has the more netted tunic :-[
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Fantastic images from all! 8)
I looked repeated times on all these tiny beauties and dreamed about to see them flowering already in my own property. But regretable many species I already put on my 'wish-list' would not grow successfully outside in my garden/meadow. :'(
Fortunately there are some tough species and cultivars repelling the harsh conditions like late bare frosts, hail storms, summer rainfalls ect. ... :D
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Armin,
aren't these stray seedlings fascinating? Here are a few tommies and vernus hybrids that have popped up in the lawn.
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Jamie the colour of that first Tommie is lovely
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Jamie,
spring croci are symbols of energy and force for me.
Whilst it is still barbarous could outside they already thrive their flower hads through frozen ground and wait below surface until temperatures reach a bit more then +10°C in order to explode within a couple of hours in pure beauti.
Yes absolutely - they are fascinating! :D
Lovely seedlings.
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For this entry a serie of Crocus danfordiae - very small flowers, but just beautiful with their tiny size.
Janis
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Here's one from Dirk in 2008 which came as Crocus corsicusCol de Bavilla but having read Janis' book maybe it is C. minimus ???
It looks as corsicus, both are growing at Bavella, but for certainity check corm tunics - in corsicus they are reticulated at apex, in minimus throughout parallely fibrous.
Janis
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Now some of still unidentified Crocus biflorus complex samples, all collected during my trips in Turkey.
And one more picture of Myddelton Cream.
Janis
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Still more of biflorus complex (but not the last ones - some only comes out - here returned some frost and weather broadcast offers even minus 12 C in following two nights, so development slowed down).
At first quite interesting biflorus from Iran - it was pictured at 53rd longitude in NW Iran (in mountains positioned at East coast of Caspian Sea) where it flowered in small galley coming out from water. I suppose - may be new subsp. This spring 3 collected corms flowered in my garden (WHIR-100).
Then the first blooming of subsp. caelestis in my collection from very small corm.
Follows subsp. leucostylosus
and a pair of subsp. munzurense
For give some rest - as last picture is Crocus x paulinae raised by me, repeating natural cross between ancyrensis and abantensis.
Janis
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One more entry for this morning
Seedling of C. chrysanthus alba put me to think that in this C. biflorus is involved.
Next is Crocus flavus subsp. flavus from something to East from Istanbul and following is
subsp. sarichinarensis white form from E of Antalya - just opposite side of Turkey
Then three forms of "tommies"
Eric Smith - with typical 8 petals
then 'Pink' and 'Pink Pictus' from John Grimshaw.
The last - C. vernus from Thomas Huber (Italy?)
Janis
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Weather broadcast become more and more horrible - coming night will great us with minus 12 and following even minus 15 C. Plants are too advanced for emergency covering.
But now few entries for this afternoon.
Will start with quite well known C. atticus subsp.nivalis
Crocus dalmaticus
And then great surprise for myself, too - between seedlings of C. fleischeri suddenly appeared pictured specimen with brown stigma. Will be this feature permanent, I don't know, but I marked this plant.
I don't know how to separate Crocus gargaricus and herbertii by flowers, may be herbertii is a shade darker, but it changes during flowering. Flowers of gargaricus is a bit larger, as well as corms, too. Fortunately both easy separable by corm tunics.
Janis
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Great surprise was blooming of Crocus hyemalis this spring. Corm was collected some years ago in Syria by Arnis. May be so late blooming caused by late planting as I got this corm only in October.
Crocus graveolens - still don't know how really separate it from vitellinus. My nose can't catch any bad smell on my stocks labeled as graveolens.
This C. hittiticus is from Brian Mathew's acquisitions
Very nice is C. kerndorfiorum.
It hybridizes with C. leichtlinii - on picture you can see such hybrid.
One of easiest in gardens (outside) is C. biflorus pulchricolor, only some forms of taurii is more hardy.
On my entry about last trip to Turkey I wrote about unsuccessful searching for C. olivieri subsp. balansae, but I was there too early. Now a pair of weeks later it is blooming, but how looks locality you can see on pictures sent me by my Turkish friend, revisiting locality by my plea.
Janis
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At this moment last entry - Crocus reticulatus from Italy
Again Crocus sieberi x George (mutation of Hubert Edelsten)
Crocus sieheanus
Crocus atticus sublimis
And as last 2 pictures of Crocus tauricus
Janis
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Today I will start with few color forms of Crocus abantensis and after them 2 pictures of Crocus antalyensis - quite similar but note color of stigma - on one it is yellow on another white.
After them 2 unidentified Crocus biflorus and follows few named cultivars
Jurpils - raised by Latvian plant breeder Juris Egle
My own - Snow Crystall and
Macedonian Ivory (chrysanthus) from Gothenburg
Janis
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Just recently ( Nordic Journal of Botany 29: 613, 2011 ) new crocus species was described:
"A new species of Crocus sect. Crocus is described as an endemic of Elba Island (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy): C. ilvensis
Peruzzi & Carta sp. nov. (2n8). The new species was wrongly referred to C. corsicus Vanucchi (2n18), C. etruscus
Parl. (2n8) or C. vernus Hill. subsp. vernus (2n8, 16) by previous authors. Its karyotype structure, asymmetry and
chromosome dimensions show affinity with C. etruscus, and no clear relations with other related taxa. From a
morphological point of view, C. ilvensis appears intermediate between C. etruscus and C. vernus subsp. vernus, showing
however a peculiar combination of character-states. The new species is completely allopatric with other Crocus sect. Crocus
taxa and its possible role in the origin of tetraploid races of C. vernus is discussed."
Janis
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I think this was one of the Crocus I bought at last years Discussion Weekend.
Could someone please identify it.
Thanks
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Arthur, I am doubting and must look tomorrow in the garden here but it's may be Ladykiller? Just the yellowish inside on your picture does puzzle me. The other possibilities of Crocus I brought are Eyecatcher and Zenith which are still in flower now. The others are all over now.
Here it's at the Blackpool Show in 2005;
http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/141/8471.html (http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/141/8471.html)
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Luit
I have several patches of Ladykiller in the garden and very nice they are.
The mystery Crocus looks good when open, but I prefer it only slightly open as you can then see the back of the petals.
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I think this was one of the Crocus I bought at last years Discussion Weekend.
Could someone please identify it.
Thanks
Can't help you, but it certainly isn't Zenit or Ladykiller.
Janis
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Arthur, if you haven't done so already then it would be well worth checking Thomas Huber's guide to chrysanthus/biflorus cultivars (http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5060.0).
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Hi all,
I go the below as Crocus cvijicii 'Cream of Creams' a few years ago (not from Janis, not directly anyway). It looks a bit different to my other cvijicii, mainly because of the frilly orange stigma, but does match photos of this form online as far as I can see. Can anyone confirm (or otherwise) the identity? Ta, Alex
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Arthur ypor picture looks very different but IF you got it last autumn then the only possibility might be Blue Bird.
Here two pics:
Crocus chrysanthus Blue Bird
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Crocus chrysanthus Blue Bird
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I think this was one of the Crocus I bought at last years Discussion Weekend.
Could someone please identify it.
Thanks
looks like Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'
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Indeed blue outside, bit inside much more yellow??
Crocus chrysanthus Advance
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Hi all,
I go the below as Crocus cvijicii 'Cream of Creams' a few years ago (not from Janis, not directly anyway). It looks a bit different to my other cvijicii, mainly because of the frilly orange stigma, but does match photos of this form online as far as I can see. Can anyone confirm (or otherwise) the identity? Ta, Alex
Looks very similar, but can be seedling, too. Seedlings of Crem of Creams varie from almost identical to parent till pure white.
Janis
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One of my favourites was (and still are) C. chrysanthus SUNSPOT. Unfortunately I lost my original stock and after that twice bought 5 corms of it in 2008 and again in 2009. The last shipment was destroyed last spring at first flowering as heavy virus infected. This spring (today) I found that corms received in 2008 shows virus symptoms, too. Pity. I used this pot for crossing this spring, so I'm still keeping the stock up to possible seed crop, but it was replaced from greenhouse to home, to keep isolated from other crocuses. Really I didn't like its flowers this spring, too, but supposed that may be too dry air in home, a little old flowers are the reason of suspicion, but later gave more attention to this pot. So I recommend all owners of this cv. to check your plants. See attached pictures.
Janis
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A few Crocus that Thomas Hubert kindly gave me. I have lost most of the labels so hoping that Thomas is watching and will identify them.
Susan
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All the day is snowing, dark, cold - not pleasant time to work even in greenhouse. So few more pictures of last days.
One fiorm of Crocus fleischeri
Crocuds graveolens from my first trip to Turkey
Three different cultivars of Crocus heuffelianus
Janis
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Few more
Crocus imperatii
C. x jessopiae
C. minimus Albus - don't like flowers, so leaves will be checked a little later
C. reticulatus from Georgia, Caucasus and from Italy
C. vernus from Italy
Janis
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Few more entries with crocuses - all pictured yesterday.
Janis
Crocus albiflorus Slovenia.JPG
Crocus ancyrensis brownish or5 x paulinae.JPG
Crocus antalyensis Alba -1.JPG
Crocus antalyensis Alba -2.JPG
Crocus atticus Michael; Hoog's Memory.JPG
Crocus biflorus adamii Vanadzor.JPG
Crocus biflorus may be taurii LST-365.JPG
Crocus biflorus taurii LP-7260.JPG
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Few more
Janis
Crocus chrysanthus x Charmer.JPG
Crocus chrysanthus x Myddelton Cream.JPG
Crocus cvijicii x veluchensis Rainbow Gold.JPG
Crocus etruscus TCH-0807.JPG
Crocus heuffelianus Alba (Lizja White).JPG
Crocus heuffelianus Taavi #1.JPG
Crocus sieberi e Omalos, Crete -1.JPG
Crocus sieberi e Omalos, Crete -2.JPG
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The last crocuses for today
Janis
Crocus suaveolens MS-962.JPG
Crocus tauiricus.JPG
Crocus tommasinianus Albus.JPG
Crocus tommasinianus Picta e Grimshaw.JPG
Crocus tommasinianus Pink Marble e Grimshaw.JPG
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Forgot to add Crocus korolkowii Dytiscus - famous selection made by E.A. Bowles.
Janis
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According to the Myddelton House Society and many other sources, the correct spelling of E.A.Bowles' home is Myddelton not middle or myddle so the crocus should probably be Crocus 'Myddelton Cream.' I received mine too, from Marcus Harvey, and with that spelling.
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Thanks very much, Janis.
Alex
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A few Crocus that Thomas Hubert kindly gave me. I have lost most of the labels so hoping that Thomas is watching and will identify them.
Susan
TH2 is Crocus imperati .... and looking very fine they all are!
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(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i76/arykana/2011/krkuszok.jpg)
(http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i76/arykana/2011/kki.jpg)
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Flowering now
Crocus heuffelianus 'Dark Eyes'
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Thanks Tony,I found labels with C.imperati ssp imperati and also C. imperati ssp suaveolens. One seems slightly darker that the other but I don't know which. Any idea how I can tell them apart ?
Susan
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Another reminder, Folks, that the preferred Forum picture size has a maximum width of 760 pixels... 800 if you really must .......... :-X :-X
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Thanks Tony,I found labels with C.imperati ssp imperati and also C. imperati ssp suaveolens. One seems slightly darker that the other but I don't know which. Any idea how I can tell them apart ?
Susan
Hi Susan, great photos of my plants in your garden.
Tony is right, your photo TH2 shows Crocus imperati from Southern Italy.
imperati and suaveolens can be distinguished in most cases by the following features:
-imperati has much darker coloring than the soft coloured suaveolens
-imperati is larger
-imprati has a bracteole, which suaveolens hasn't
-the leaves of imperati often start growing in late autumn, while suaveolens leaves grow with the flower
Photo TH 1 shows Crocus chrysanthus 'Goldene Sonne'
TH3 is chrysanthus 'White Beauty'
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Finally I was able to sort out some photos of my little crocus garden.
First flowers on my lawn were out in January, but due to cold weather they have never opened for weeks and the first were even withered before ever being open. First two photos show my lawn in this time - temperature not more than 5-6°C.
But then 10 days ago warm winds suddenly arrived in my garden and the flowers were exploding, making a good sight for the Hubi's and visitors of the adjacent park. Last photo shows my favourite place for relaxing :D Unfortunately I have been away for some days in this time and missed the peak of flowering :'(
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First three photos again from the time before the 'explosion',
the other seven from different parts of my rockgardens, beds and the lawn.
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04 and 42: Mixed beds in my rockgarden with Crocus versicolor, flavus, x leonidii, biflorus 'Fairy' and Galanthus
16: I have never thought, that white flowers can look so good, biflorus 'Miss Vain' and Galanthus nivalis
12 and 46: angustifolius 'Bronce' - the photo doesn't show the true color, they look deep dark orange - just wonderful.
33: chrysanthus 'Advance' another orange Crocus with purple outer petals
35: one of my favourites, chrysanthus 'Eyecatcher'. Lost from trade for many years, since a virus caught the Dutch stock
74: chrysanthus from the HK collection with dark anthers and dark outer petals.
18: another sight of biflorus 'Miss Vain'
04: one more 'lost' chrysanthus cultivar 'Warley', could be bought in each garden-center years ago, but no-one has it today :-[
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Simply stunning Thomas :o :o
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Great sights Thomas!
Thanks god you are back from winter dormancy! ;)
Gerd
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It's been a while since you showed us your Crocus extravaganza Thomas, but it was worth the wait !! :o
Still as amazing as ever !! ;)
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Lovely stuff Thomas.
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hello thomas,
wow........looks very good....colour explosion 8)
cheers
chris
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Thanks everybody, here some more:
80- Crocus fleischeri
10- korolkowii 'January Gold' - If you know the wonderful selections of Crocus korolkowii, that Janis has registrated, you really wonder what on earth has forced people to registrate such an ugly mutant!! ??? Even the standard trade form is 1000 times better!
72- My collection of Crocus malyi has increased very well. It's just a white flower, but I love is shape very much.
05- angustifolius x reticulatus - a Schnabel-cross
02- Crocus tauricus from Crimea
11- An interesting Galanthus elwesii with one wing
08- First flowering of this Galanthus woronowii in my garden. I don't think the yellow will be permanent - but I will keep an eye on it
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This year I have found a lot of new hybrids on my lawn.
Many have been dug up for better growing in beds.
Here a selecion of the best forms:
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Last for today, my absolutely favourite species:
Crocus versicolor from Southern France. :D
I love the increadible variability of this plant :o, seems like it has an endless number
of different variants and so many would be worth separating to increase for trade.
In the past Crocus versicolor was sold in many, many variants in trade.
1831 J. Sabine counted 18 cultivars, but unfortunately only one has survived
until today: versicolor 'Picturatus'
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Your lawn looks amazing Thomas. I am finding seedlings from your crocus and I think I will try and copy you. It will take some time to get it like yours maybe I will enjoy them when I am retired :)
Susan
ps I liked the 3rd hybrid very much
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Susan is right, that third hybrid is lovely. I shall have to put some C.versicolor in the gravel and wait for my own crocus explosion ;)
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Thanks Susan and Brian - no problem if you want to copy my idea,
there isn't any copyright saved by me ;D
Please keep me in touch about your progress!
Re chrysanthus hybrids:
Please note, that the 2nd and 3rd photo are the same plant
also the 4th and 5th photo are the same plant.
So do you mean the 3rd photo or the 3rd plant??
I find them both lovely and unique.
Thank god I found them before Chris saw them - he was also
digging up some lovely hybrids from MY (!) lawn to plant them
into his own bed :-\
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I liked the second/third photo 48 & 49
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More and more busy every day as more and more flowers start to bloom. For last days even hadn't time to sort out pictures and to prepare them for forum. So now I want to show you
very light blue form of Crocus abantensis
quite usual and not very special Crocus angustifolius from Crim. My best selections felt as victims in endless battle with rodents
Crocus biflorus subsp. biflorus from Italy and its leaves crossection showing no ribs in underneath grooves
and Crocus biflorus weldenii from Croatia and its leaves section with well noticeable ribs
Crocus biflorus ionopharynx - very spectacular although not very typical form
This Crocus x paulinae I showed a year before as "ancyrensis brownish" - now I changed opinion and I think that it is really paulinae and its locality was incorrectly reported by seller. The hybrid origin confirms why during 3 seasons I got no one seed.
On last two pictures you can see spring Crocus collection bed today and beds in commercial part of nursery, where spring comes, too.
Janis
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Thomas and Janis wonderful pictures of the crocus,mine are now well finished.
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Thomas, I love your C. versicolor display, looks almost like in the wild... ;D
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Magnificent display Thomas - well worth the wait!
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Fantastic display of C. versicolor, Thomas! As with you - it is one of my favourites, too and I can't understand why on trade it was replaced by this week 'Picturatus'. From chrysanthus hybrids I mostly like 6th-92.
Janis
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Thomas, Janis
Thanks for brightening our days. Crocus season nearly over here.
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Thomas,
your garden images are simply staggering! 8)
Cv. 'Warley' has clumped up nicely and you got beautiful hybrids. Congratulation.
The C. versicolor variations are mouthwatering - I hope you get a good seed crop.
I'm pleased with the current flowering of the last vernus and chrysanthus hybrids in my garden.
In summary I got less flowers compared to last years season and the year before. Especial it seems the chrysanthus hybrids suffered from the last two strong winters with many bare night frosts. The good thing is I see many leaves emerging now.
Shall I give some pottasium-magnesium fertilizer to strenghten corm growth?
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Good question, Armin,
I am currently looking at fertilizers for my bulbs and am spreading a bit of calcium-magnesium fertilizer for my aril Iris and thought this would be generally good for Crocus and Tulipa. Any opinions, here?
I gotta tell you all, the crocus season on this years thread has been amazing. Thanks for all the great fotos Last year I started really getting into Crocus, and with Janis' new book, I'm thoroughly hooked. Can wait until the next seed exchange!
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Thanks again everybody.
Armin same here - the small plants are all over and I only have
the big vernus-monsters and some in more shaded areas.
Jamie, you should look for 'Patentkali' in the Gardencenter.
This works well on my lawn and feeds only the bulbs, not the grass.
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Good question, Armin,
I am currently looking at fertilizers for my bulbs and am spreading a bit of calcium-magnesium fertilizer for my aril Iris and thought this would be generally good for Crocus and Tulipa. Any opinions, here?
I gotta tell you all, the crocus season on this years thread has been amazing. Thanks for all the great fotos Last year I started really getting into Crocus, and with Janis' new book, I'm thoroughly hooked. Can wait until the next seed exchange!
Jamie have you joined the crocus group,there seed exchange is pretty good
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Jamie
As someone who packs the seed for the Crocus Group I strongly recommend you join. Membership subscription is very small and the rewards are significant.
Tony Goode is the Secretary
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Crocus tauricus - raspberry-pink form and others ...
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Jamie
As someone who packs the seed for the Crocus Group I strongly recommend you join. Membership subscription is very small and the rewards are significant.
Tony Goode is the Secretary
Art, Davey,
I'll contact Tony. I hope they take paypal or similar, as pound notes are scarce on the continent. Where ther's a will, there's a way.
Jamie
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Jamie
As someone who packs the seed for the Crocus Group I strongly recommend you join. Membership subscription is very small and the rewards are significant.
Tony Goode is the Secretary
Art i cannot thank you enough for your efforts,my seed order was top notch all have germinated and growing strongly.
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Great displays from Thomas and Janis - the massed flowers look very beautiful. Natalia - your pink crocus is very exciting.
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Last of mine to flower
Crocus pelistericus.
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Last of mine to flower
Crocus pelistericus.
One of my favourites.... what a colour!
We had one group just opening yesterday, while another, just a couple of feet away, were still "pencils", today the second lot have caught up. Crocus really are magically speedy souls!
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Last of mine to flower
Crocus pelistericus.
One of my favourites.... what a colour!
We had one group just opening yesterday, while another, just a couple of feet away, were still "pencils", today the second lot have caught up. Crocus really are magically speedy souls!
Maggi
a strange season, some pots are in flower and others are just showing through the grit. This has been the case with lots of species this spring.
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Hello,
yesterday I visited a special place in Lower Austria, where Crocus vernus (neapolitanus) ist locally abundant!
Enjoy the pictures!
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...and two special plants:
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What a wonderful place and the pictures are stunning. You must have found it difficult to walk on a field so full of flowers. Thank you for sharing. :)
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Hello,
yesterday I visited a special place in Lower Austria, where Crocus vernus (neapolitanus) ist locally abundant!
Enjoy the pictures!
Wow! Herbert, this is superb! Thank you for sharing this. A Croconut's dream!
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A few seedlings flowering today
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Herbert,
that view is breathtaking. :o 8)
Thank you for showing.
Gunilla,
very nice hybrids. Hope they will quickly increase and nicely clump up for you!
Certainly it makes fun to breed your own hybrids. :D
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Crocus pelistericus out today (ex Tony Willis).
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Lovely sight Herbert - Thanks. Wish I could be there too :)
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A Crocus which started flowering here last week:
Crocus veluchensis
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Seems that all of you have so many wonderfull Crocuses!
Yesterday this one opened the flowers wide to the sun.
[attachthumb=1] [attachthumb=2]
The flowers are very small and I have no name for it. Any suggestions?
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Crocus 'Cream Beauty' and perhaps a white sport to the left.
Also C. tommassinianus 'Roseus'. I imported several hundred from Holland, with many permit/phyto hassles, a couple of years ago. Selected forms of this great Crosus species are impossible to find in this country which is sad as it is such a good-doer.
johnw
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Herbert,
- a very special place indeed and very nice photographs, I particularly liked no. 2 in the first posting. I would add to Maren's comment; a difficult field to walk away from.
Trond,
As the crow flies we do not live very far apart, and I have a crocus that looks very similar to yours, pictures included. If you, like me, "sourced" your crocus locally at a garden centre (or supermarket) it is not unlikely that they are the same (we are not exactly spoiled for choice in bulbs). I bought mine about 5 years ago as, I think, C. chrysanthus 'Dorothy', but labels are long gone (crows and magpies seem to like them) so I cannot guarantee this (my memory is no longer what it never was). Not a very botanically based explanation, but pictures I can find match quite well. Also, Thomas Huber has a very nice thread here on the forum (February 2010) on Compilation of crocus chrysanthus/biflorus cultivars, where you can see that there are at least three cultivars that are not unlike 'Dorothy'. Good luck!
Knud
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A Crocus which started flowering here last week:
Crocus veluchensis
Wim,
What a colour of the crocus you are showing. I see in Janis Ruksans's book that he puts it in his subgroup CC, which means it would grow outside in our climate. Is you plant growing outside in your garden?
Thanks,
Knud
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Trond,
As the crow flies we do not live very far apart, and I have a crocus that looks very similar to yours, pictures included. If you, like me, "sourced" your crocus locally at a garden centre (or supermarket) it is not unlikely that they are the same (we are not exactly spoiled for choice in bulbs). I bought mine about 5 years ago as, I think, C. chrysanthus 'Dorothy', but labels are long gone (crows and magpies seem to like them) so I cannot guarantee this (my memory is no longer what it never was). Not a very botanically based explanation, but pictures I can find match quite well. Also, Thomas Huber has a very nice thread here on the forum (February 2010) on Compilation of crocus chrysanthus/biflorus cultivars, where you can see that there are at least three cultivars that are not unlike 'Dorothy'. Good luck!
Knud
Hallo Knud!
Takk skal du ha!
I thought maybe it was some chrysanthus cultivar, but I have other and this one has smaller cups. I have given up a long time ago to use labels ;) As with these, no labels, but probably tomasinianus.
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Thomas, every year I'm astounded at your magnificent lawn then the following year is even better. Seeing it here is a highlight of my Forum year. 8)
I think you should be very happy that Chris is wanting to dig up your hybrids for his own collection. That means he is a real gardener in the making, and TO BE ENCOURAGED! ;D
All the pictures are magnificent. It's a few days since I could look at them as my computer has been playing nasty tricks and the internet coming and going in a frustrating way, as new fibreoptic cables are being laid nearby. It should all be better in the long term though.
Janis your crocus beds are truly fabulous. What pleasure they must give you each spring day.
I have just the beginnings of the autumn species now, with speciosus, pulchellus, kotschyanus, banaticus, nudiflorus and vallicola all in flower. A few colchicums too.
Thomas many of the ones you sent to me as seed had the odd flower or two last spring so this coming season there should be a good show. Thanks so much for your generosity.
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Hei Trond,
- bare hyggelig.
The crocus in your picture certainly look like the one I have as C. tommasinianus.
Knud
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Good morning Trond and Knut. I can't be 100% sure but I would say, your both yellow Crocus looks like 'Fuscotinctus'. Please note, that in 'Dorothy' the feathering is more suffused than in 'Fuscotinctus' and from what I see on your overview photos I would say they all have a 'clear' feathering. A close-up photo from aside would be better for ID.
Thanks Lesley. Great news from my seeds. Please keep me in touch when the come into flower.
Herbert thanks for showing these photos from 'wild' Austria. I remember some years ago our good friend Johannes Höller has shown photos of the same area, too. Is this the only place in Austria where 'neapolitanus' grows?
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Hello Thomas! Good morning to you to.
I think you are right. When you say 'Fuscotinctus' it rings a bell. I know I have planted those at least once in my lawn ;D
Thanks.
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I was very busy last days and had no time to take part in forum. So now again few pictures. hope I'm not repeating earlier shown.
At first 2 forms of Crocus bifl. adamii from Armenia
Then last shot this season on Crocus alatavicus
Follows three color forms of Crocus antalyensis
traditional commercial
white colored
and striped from near Antalya
and last in this entry Crocus atticus sublimis 'Michael Hoog's Memory' which I named by my late friend who much helped me with my first crocuses.
Janis
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Few more pictures
Crocus biflorus from Baba-dag (from Archibald)
Crocus candidus cv. LUNE
and wild form of C. candidus
Then C. biflorus caricus in strong sunshine (today all the day was snowing)
Natural hybrid between chrysanthus and biflorus found in wild by E. Pasche
Crocus flavus dissectus
and 2 forms of Crocus fleischeri
Janis
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The last for today
Crocus hyemalis is autumn bloomer, but this one from Syria bloomed this spring
Crocus imperatii from Italy (received from Thomas)
Crocus flavus sarichinarensis white form
Seedling from C. sieberi cultivar 'Cretan Snow'
Crocus biflorus stridii - 2 pictures
2 different Crocus biflorus taurii forms
Crocus veluchensis and cvijicii hybrid 'Rainbow Gold' from Dirk
and as last - C. vitellinus
Janis
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Good morning Trond and Knut. I can't be 100% sure but I would say, your both yellow Crocus looks like 'Fuscotinctus'. Please note, that in 'Dorothy' the feathering is more suffused than in 'Fuscotinctus' and from what I see on your overview photos I would say they all have a 'clear' feathering. A close-up photo from aside would be better for ID.
Good evening, Thomas, and thank you for your comment. I agree with you that the feathering looks quite solidly marked in our pictures, indicating 'Fuscotinctus', but I do not recall that name at all. I picked two flowers from different bunches this afternoon, and photographed them as you suggested. The feathering in the picture below looks more like that of 'Dorothy' in your Compilation than it does 'Fuscotinctus'. I noticed when taking the pictures that the solidity of the feathering varied slightly with the angle at which I viewed the petal. This can be seen in the picture with the rightmost petal viewed at 90 degrees appearing slightly more solid in feathering than the main petal viewed straight on. This could be a "3-D" effect in the petal, og a purly optical effect on the petal surface?
I have enjoyed your pictures of your crocus lawns recently, wonderful. Thank you.
Knud
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Hmmm, you're right, Knud - from this angle your plant doesn't look like 'Fuscotinctus'. But I also miss the suffused/dirty feathering of 'Dorothy' that I have in my plants, but agree with you, that yours looks more like 'Dorothy' than 'Fuscotinctus'. Maybe its just an impression due to different lights or your/my plant is a mutation from the Dutch fields :-\
By the way: I received my plants in a bag labelled as EP Bowles which it surely isn't. I also never bought 'Fuscotinctus' - all my corms came from mixed bags or wrong labelled, so better not trust the labels >:(
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Crocus season aproximates to end but still several will come out - cvijicii, veluchensis, minimus etc.
Now some pictures from today
Crocus atticus - form collected by Arne Striid
Crocus biflorus JRRK-089
White form of chrysanthus, blooming later and with smaller flowers
True Crocus corsicus - note pure white throat
Crocus etruscus
and last - Crocus flavus dissectus - marvellous crocus, I even like it more than type subsp. although it is less popular - can't understand - why?
Janis
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Few more
2 pictures of crocus known as imperatii reidii, although really it isn't the plant to which this name originally was applied, but regardless of name - marvellous.
Both forms of C. pestalozzae - white and blue - note black dots at filaments base
Crocus reticulatus from Italy - TCH-0835
then 3 pictures of C. sieberi from Omalos plain
and as last C. minimus comercial form blooming much earlier than wild forms
Janis
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And last crocuses for today
Crocus suaveolens TCH-0813
Rare white form of C. vitellinus
Another white distributed as white imperatii, but I'm not certain is this name correct?
Last year I bought few C. aerius - best buying - each different and all true aerius - here 2 forms
and as last 2 pictures from Crocus albiflorus from Jura mnt. in Helvetia - note the variability.
Janis
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Those markings on the outer segments of imperatii reidii are superb.
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Forgot about another curiosity - spring flowering form of normally autumn blooming C. laevigatus. Such are on some Greek islands.
Janis
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Those markings on the outer segments of imperatii reidii are superb.
Why would we think this is different from a good minimus?
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Those markings on the outer segments of imperatii reidii are superb.
Why would we think this is different from a good minimus?
I was thinking how it looked similar to the trade form of Crocus corsicus. The yellow in the throat should not occur in minimus or corsicus though.
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Those markings on the outer segments of imperatii reidii are superb.
Why would we think this is different from a good minimus?
Comercial minimus of common trade has very small flowers, imperatii reidii ~ 4x larger, brighter, much more spectacular.
Janis
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Those markings on the outer segments of imperatii reidii are superb.
Why would we think this is different from a good minimus?
I was thinking how it looked similar to the trade form of Crocus corsicus. The yellow in the throat should not occur in minimus or corsicus though.
Yes, you are right - minimus and true corsicus (not hybrids!) has no yellow in throat
Janis
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Noted two pots with strangely arranged leaves - both are cancellatus. Some cancellatus stocks in autumn form leaves adpressed to soil, but such coiling I noted for the first time
On last picture earliest form of C. cvijicii 'Gul Greek' at end of blooming pales.
Janis
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Thanks you both for the note about yellow in the throat - or lack of it - in corsicus and minimus. From my own pictures of minimus (which has quite large flowers incidentally), there seems to be a very narrow ring of yellow well down in the throat but not the suffusion into the fabric of the petals, as in imperati reidii. Those of us who are not "experts" tend to see the spectacular while not noticing the detail.