Tajikistan & Uzbekistan

[Oron Peri]

Just turned back from a two weeks trip to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with not less than 1800 photos of mainly bulbous plants.
Time of the year was perfect and many of the Junos, Tulipa and others were in very good conditions.
Weather was also on our side with only a couple of rainy days at high elevation but for the rest sunny and warm.
We have started in Tajikistan around Dushanbe, going down south to the Afghan border to continue north west to Uzbekistan.
Three early flowering Eremurus were in bloom including few rare E. albertii, a medium size, robust species.

[Oron Peri]

Eremurus lactiflorus is a showy species growing by the thousands in some locations, mainly on rocky slops.

[pontus]

That must have been an excellent trip, in fact 2 of the best countries to see bulbs and also very  rare and unusual bulbs... definitely 2 countries I want to visit for plants one day, as well as Afghanistan and Kazhakstan...but maybe a bit dangerous...!

Pontus

[Oron Peri]

The first Juno we went to see is Iris bucharica.
It grows in astonishing numbers in the mountains E. of Dushanbe.
Variation in color forms is rare.

[Oron Peri]

Iris bucharica flowers

[Oron Peri]

Above the iris in rock crevices growing Onosma irritans, Pseudosedum lievenii and in between two little Gagea; G. gageoides and white Gagea ova.

[Oron Peri]

At lower elevation we have seen our second Juno; Iris vicaria.
It is growing under trees, on rock shelf's and  serpentines usually in small groups.

[Oron Peri]

Iris rosenbachiana is growing in grassy slops at higher elevations.
It is very variable and difficult to find two similar specimen.
One even inspired by the colors of neighboring Corydalis popovii.

[Oron Peri]

Few more...

[pontus]

fabulous plants!

[Richard Green]

It is breathtaking to see so many of them in the wild, Oron.  They are such a challenge in our damp Scottish climate.

[arillady]

Oron wonderful photos. thanks for the Eremurus photos as they are dear to my heart and I wish different ones were listed in seed catalogues more often plus that they would grow as readily here as Urginea maritima.
Always so instructive to see plants growing in the wild.

[Brian Ellis]

Incredible variations in that lovely Iris rosenbachiana Oron.  What a way to start the day!  I hope there are some more pictures to come

[fermi de Sousa]

Marvelous, Oron,
that Eremurus albertii is a treat!
And the junos!!!
thanks for sharing with us!
cheers
fermi

[Tim Ingram]

I too am fascinated by those Eremurus. We have just had a talk from Peter and Gill Regan in our group, on Kazachstan (a Greentours trip) in which they showed a wealth of plants, including E. cristus (I think?) - glorious orange flowers and short habit; E. fuscus - yellow; E. regelii - brownish; and E. robustus - very familiar and the only species we have ever grown well in the garden. From all the plants they showed though, the bulbs were only the tip of the iceberg - what a wonderful floristic region.