Crocus March 2009

[Janis Ruksans]

Today the first sun-rays came through clouds and I ran to greenhouse to watch my crocuses. So many opened (too many for only 3 hours of sun) and many surprises, too. Some of unnamed gatherings still grown only under numbers turned to exceptionally good things.
More moderate surprise on attached pictures. In 2005 our team collected few corms of Crocuses in Turkey in first half of June by dry leaves. One of such stocks we both (I was there only with Arnis Seisums, both friends from Gothenburg BG returned to home 2 days earlier) named Crocus cancellatus (LST-402). In spring of 2007 it bloomed for the first time and was renamed as C. baytopiorum, in autumn between them appeared some C. cancellatus flowers. So two species were collected together as growing side by side. Last autumn I placed all pots of C. baytopiorum together (I have 3 another stocks of it, between them one I bought from commercial nursery in Holland, two got from other collectors, all very similar) and this spring surprised me with very unusual, I would tell even greenish shade of flower color in stock LST-402A. You can compare both on attached pictures.
I can’t prepare more pictures for Forum now as tomorrow I’m going to Crimean mountains and still a lot of job in office.
Janis

[Tony Willis]

Tony & Simon,
 the blue form of Cr. pestalozzaehas been grown in Australia for at least 50 years,
I do not know if 'caeruleus' is a valid published name ,and it is a slightly larger flower
 than the white form I grow, which came to me in 1977. It was collectedin Camlica ,
Turkey , both colour forms are good garden plants.
  Simon , Thomas is correct: your Cr. kosaninii [04 march ] is a tommie .

Otto I think that is near Uskudar on the Asian side of the Bosphorous and is long built over. They probably appear out of the foundations of blocks of flats each spring.

[hadacekf]

Nothing special here, the crocus flower in my meadow began.

Crocuses  self seedlings
Meadow
Meadow
Crocus tommasinianus Roseus
Crocus sieberi self seedling
Crocus biflorus self seedling

[David Nicholson]

I always look forward to seeing your meadow in the Spring Franz, it's a beautiful sight.

[Maggi Young]

Stunning... the combination of colour saturation and fine focus .... Franz your pictures are a delight ... the next best thing to being there to see the meadow on a sunny day.

[art600]

Franz
Stunning 

[Lesley Cox]

Thomas, any sign of your CC. pelistericus and scardicus?

No, but the Iris are growing now. I would guess pelistericus and scardicus will be among
the last Crocus to flower in my garden, so it's not too late for them.

Well that's some good news Thomas. I hope they will flower for you (and me )

[Lesley Cox]

Magnificent pictures Franz, as yours always are. The rarest and most difficult species are not always the most beautiful.

I think the "unusual" colour form in Janis's baytopiorum is the one I have here. I've always thought of it as turquoise rather than blue. But it flowers so early (mid July (Jan)) that the sun is rarely strong enough to open the flowers fully. I've shifted it to a trough in an open position.

[Guff]

Janis, you must get tons of seed. Do you grow alot from seed, or do you not allow them to seed?


Franz, your meadow is like a fine painting. I like how the colors mix and contrast.

[Arda Takan]

Mr. Hadacek
You have meadows of heaven!

[tonyg]

Nothing special here,

I beg to differ!
Magnificent as always.

[Armin]

Wunderful crocus pictures from everybody.

Franz,
as every year you surprise us with your fantastic pictures of your meadow.
And I like your form of C.sieberi ssp sieberi - simply beautiful 

In my meadow the first crocus are out and opened yesterday in the sunshine...
...but today it was doom and rain and rain and ...

[Maggi Young]

Armin, thank goodness you had at least a little chance to picture the flowers before the rain.

[tonyg]

Beautiful pictures Armin
And the sun will shine again

[Sinchets]

Tony & Simon,
 the blue form of Cr. pestalozzaehas been grown in Australia for at least 50 years,
I do not know if 'caeruleus' is a valid published name ,and it is a slightly larger flower
 than the white form I grow, which came to me in 1977. It was collectedin Camlica ,
Turkey , both colour forms are good garden plants.
  Simon , Thomas is correct: your Cr. kosaninii [04 march ] is a tommie .

Otto I think that is near Uskudar on the Asian side of the Bosphorous and is long built over. They probably appear out of the foundations of blocks of flats each spring.

I think Crocus pestalozzae caeruleus was the name it was listed as, as this is the name I have in my records. Whether it is valid or not i don't know.