Crocus September 2009

[Tony Willis]

First crocus here is Crocus vallicola.  Nice warm sunshine for cross pollinating the flowers but that was last week!

Tony very nice and sumtious indeed.They seem quite variable.

can you let me know what warm sunshine is please!  I have to confess it has now not rained for three days since the start of July,almost a drought

[Janis Ruksans]

First crocus here is Crocus vallicola.  Nice warm sunshine for cross pollinating the flowers but that was last week!
The last one has longer wispy tips to the petals, typical for C vallicola.  One of the group of three is particularly sumptious

Excellent pictures, Tony! When my will come out? Many pots now shows noses in my pots but not vallicolas. My first two Crocus autranii flowers were quick runners, others now comes out all together. Corms were identical in size. Last autumn they bloomed all together.
Now weather became cooler and cloudy. Last week I suppose was too hot for autumn crocuses.
Janis

[Alex]

And here is another Crocus autranii (ex Janis of course) about to open...looking forward to it...

Alex

[Gerry Webster]

First crocus here is Crocus vallicola.  Nice warm sunshine for cross pollinating the flowers but that was last week!
The last one has longer wispy tips to the petals, typical for C vallicola.  One of the group of three is particularly sumptious

Very nice Tony. I had this species  a few years ago but I think it was too warm & dry here for it to be happy. Although it flowered, the flowers shrivelled soon after opening so I never saw it looking like this.

[mark smyth]

Tony G they all look good but which is best to you? What will you cross them with and why?

Those 'El Torcal' are way ahead of mine. Not even a nose up here so far

[tonyg]

The rounded dumpy one has a biiger flower with a nice shape ... but they are all lovely!
I cross them with each other, they are not very self fertile so having several clones increases the chance of a good seed set.

[mark smyth]

I looked at that one and just assumed it was further open than the rest. I thought you were trying for a hybrid. Are they in the same family as kotschyanus?

[Maggi Young]

Tony, in this photo of yours, repeated below.... I see differing spot markings, too..... have a look at Ian's next Bulb Log to see his  "vallicola variations"...

[Janis Ruksans]

Tony, in this photo of yours, repeated below.... I see differing spot markings, too..... have a look at Ian's next Bulb Log to see his  "vallicola variations"...

If not the tips of flower segments I would like to name this suworrowianus. Really most important is position of corm in soil. In vallicola they lay upright, in suworowianus on side.
Janis

[Ragged Robin]

Can I ask why there is a different planting style for these two crocus Janis? 

[Martin Baxendale]

Can I ask why there is a different planting style for these two crocus Janis? 

I hope Janis won't mind my answering for him while I'm in this thread: Robin, it's not to do with how they're planted, but in reference to the fact that C. suworrowianus grows naturally with the corms on their sides with the growing point and the roots facing sideways in the soil, rather than the more usual upright orientation. Very useful for positive identification.

[pehe]

Janis,

Impressive pics of Scharojanii! A species I have been searching for, for years.
Cappadociocus and suworrowianus are lovely too. I have had both by 'accident'. Some years ago I bought vallicola and suworrowianus. The ones labeled vallicola turned out to be suworrowianus and the ones labeled suworrowianus was cappadociocus! Unfortunately both of them are dead. Do you have spare seeds from yours?

Poul

[pehe]

I found these in my dads garden. I believe it is speciosus - or am I wrong?

Poul

[Martin Baxendale]

I found these in my dads garden. I believe it is speciosus - or am I wrong?

Poul

Yes, definitely speciosus. A named variety no doubt, but difficult to say which. Others may be able to suggest a name.

[Ragged Robin]

Martin, thanks for your explanation - I'm planning on planting many more bulbs here so want to make the most of them