Crocus February 2015

[Maggi Young]

For that one everyone will envy. Got is very kind present from friend in CA, who found this unique colour in wild - Crocus alatavicus. No photoshop applied!
Janis

   As a follow up to Janis's stunning photos of this pink crocus- here are photos from Vladimir Epiktetov, who found t - this was another occasion when, amongst a sea of white Crocus alatavicus, he found one other lone pink one -


A sea of white crocus


white Crocus alatavicus


pink  Crocus alatavicus - also quite amazing -  a more starry shape that the form Janis showed, which has a  fuller,  more rounded flower.

[Janis Ruksans]

Absolutely Gorgeous!  Guess it will be a couple years before it's available? 

Afraid that never. C. alatavicus is extremely lasy in splitting. Will try to pollinate, but I don't know - are alatavicus self-fertile or not. May be between seedlings will appear something similar and then some strain could be raised but certainly it will take more time than left to me. May be my daughter will succeed with this.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

   As a follow up to Janis's stunning photos of this pink crocus- here are photos from Vladimir Epiktetov, who found t - this was another occasion when, amongst a sea of white Crocus alatavicus, he found one other lone pink one -

The first pink Vladimir kindly sent to me but next year he found another one individual, but I haven't courage to ask him for this another one, too. Having 2 would be more easy to get seeds and to hope for pink seedlings.
Janis

[Matt T]

The first pink Vladimir kindly sent to me but next year he found another one individual, but I haven't courage to ask him for this another one, too. Having 2 would be more easy to get seeds and to hope for pink seedlings.
Janis

Perhaps he'd be kind enough to send you some pollen though? And you could do vice versa, so you might both end up with good seed set?

[melager]

For that one everyone will envy. Got is very kind present from friend in CA (Vladimir), who found this unique colour in wild - Crocus alatavicus. No photoshop applied!
Janis
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wow that is fantastic

regards Mel

[Janis Ruksans]

Perhaps he'd be kind enough to send you some pollen though? And you could do vice versa, so you might both end up with good seed set?

Could be nice, but blooming time is very different + post between our countries are transported  at a snail's pace.
Janis

[Tim Ingram]

In the days of the great plant-hunters of the past there was Frank Kingdon-Ward in search of the blue poppy. What a story it would make to follow Vladimir in search of the pink crocus! The thrill is just the same, and there would be all those other amazing plants that Vladimir described in that outstanding talk on Kazakhstan in Tábor.

[Janis Ruksans]

This season (as well as winter) is very strange here. Autumn crocuses were lasy to bloom and some blooms just now - laevigatus, melantherus started in autumn but now still are in flowers. Crocus aleppicus disn't bloomed in autumn but is in full flowers now. Bog - are from Jordan, VISA - from Syria
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

The first crocus in this entry although labeled as hybrid between isauricus and chrysanthus, really in its progeny aren't blood of both. It was collected on spot where together grow some blue and some yellow crocus with annulate tunics and seem that both hybridise there - or both are extremely variable there making intermediate forms. The yellow one at present regarded as chrysanthus s.l., the blue one may be belongs to some of HKEP new species but hadn't time to check which one. In any case plants are fantastic and this one is one of best there. I think not less beautifull than pink alatavicus, although more common in colour.
Then true isauricus which must be regarded now as typical isauricus in huge ammount of crocuses offered under this name.
The last - Crocus caricus. At least plant on left is typical caricus, the plant on right - ? May be variation of caricus or another species. Both were collected on small around 200 sq. m. large meadow between shrubs growing side by side.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

The last today - Crocus beydaglarensis, far more beautiful this spring here than in wild where I saw (and collected few) in 2012.
Janis

[Maggi Young]

Beautiful outer markings on  Crocus aleppicus VISA-0411  And yellow throats always attractive for paler flowers.

[Maggi Young]

A fine selection of crocus to cheer the day, Janis - the sun is fading again here.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wow... C. beydaglarensis are all remarkable, Jani !!  Beautiful Crocus !

[tonyg]

After all the wonderful pictures of the new and the rare these same old species in my frame seem less exciting .... but the spring sunshine (for one day only) lit them up nicely.

[Cyril L]

Wonderful to see all these rare crocus.

Crocus vernus is by no means rare but can provide a marvellous display.  I posted a picture about a week ago but now it is at its best.