Crocus October 2008

[Gerry Webster]

Thanks David - yes it's the same pot. I took the previous photo too early.   

[David Shaw]

David, if next summer is as wet then I will have to cover the pots. The floering size frits are in a frame so I will have to snip the stems, if needs be, and put the covers back. Otherwise I have some covers that I clip to the fencing in winter for other plants.
Our local amenity site has a recycling facility where people can take just about anything they don't want and other can come along and take it for a smal donation. When I was there on Thursday I picked up two large trays of 5 and 6 inch clays. Whoopee!

[Tony Willis]

a nice crocus from Nafpaktos which is on mainland Greece across the gulf from Patras. I collected seed some years ago hoping it would be robertianus. I am having a problem identifying it-help please.

[Maggi Young]

A pale and pretty C. speciosus, Tony?

[Tony Willis]

thanks Maggie,just had a moment and could not get my mind round speciosus from Greece

[udo]

Tony,
i think, this is Cr.cancellatus ssp.mazziaricus.

[Maggi Young]

a nice crocus from Nafpaktos which is on mainland Greece across the gulf from Patras. I collected seed some years ago hoping it would be robertianus. I am having a problem identifying it-help please.

I'm sticking with Crocus speciosus..... because cancellatus to my eye has less frilly style, and lighter pollen and fewer markings on the petals............

[Tony Willis]

Maggie I first thought cancellatus but I have noted its corm tunic on the label (I cannot believe I have written that, what an anorak) and it is not cancellatus. I thought speciosus but could not remember if it grew in that area and 'The Crocus' does not mention it in Greece.

I think I must have been sniffing too much paint today which together with a very large gin and half a bottle of red is not a good combination but feels okay.

[Maggi Young]

Plenty C.  speciosus in Greece, I believe 

All that decorating you're doing, I'm not surprised you're resorting to drink!

[Gerry Webster]

Tony - I tend to agree with Maggi, probably C. speciosus.  In his update on crocus in 'The Plantsman' (June 2002) BM states that the distribution of this species has been extended to include the southern part of mainland Greece. 

On this wild & stormy night a large gin & half a bottle of red sounds like an excellent combination to me.   

[Tony Willis]

Gerry thanks for that information which I think confirms what I and also Maggi thought.

We have had a glorious sunny day but cold and it has been a delight to get out into the garden. We do not get many and it is going to rain again tomorrow.

[Oron Peri]

Some photos taken this morning.

Crocus aleppicus
 C. hermoneus _Amman
 C. ochroleucus
 C. veneris
  C. ochroleucus
 C.  pallasii pallasii

[tonyg]

Super Oron.  I am always struck by how close C hermoneus is to some forms of C cancellatus in flower. From memory I think the corm tunics of hemoneus have much finer fibres, less netted?  Is the pure white C ochroleucus a local form or the one that has reached other growers via (I think) Brian Mathew?  Your recent image of a clump of C ochroleucus have forced me to revise my opinions of this small flowered species.

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Tony,

You are right about the hermoneus corm, it has finer, more  parallel fiber, connected by shorter fibers,
much less netted then cancellatus .
We have arrived here to the conclusion that it is impossible to tell apart hermoneus from cancellatus cancellatus by their flower!!!, only by checking the corm.

My ochroleucus Albus are from two plants I have collected three years ago in the Upper Galilee,
Luckily it makes many new bulblets.
A few weeks ago when i re potted them there where more then 30 new ones.

The new find is Pallasii Album from last week, but this one will take much longer to multiply since it doesn't make bulblets.

[udo]

some flowers today:
Crocus asumaniae in pure white
    ``   boryi
    ``   laevigatus dark form
    ``   laevigatus creme form
    ``   tournefortii, very pale form
    ``   tournefortii x laevigatus? flower is closed in the night
a look in my greenhouse