Crocus September 2009

[Anthony Darby]

Here are Cc. pulchellus, kotschyanus 'Ares' (back) and longiflorus in the bulb house.

Anthony, the top photo isn't pulchellus. It's either a yellow-throated speciosus or a hybrid, as pulchellus has white anthers.

Thanks Martin. I thought it was odd? The pot is labelled 'odd bulbs' and I just assumed that some of my many pulchellus seedlings had strayed?

[Sinchets]

It's interesting how variable the flowering time across the UK and Ireland. One reason we have to do a trial with autumn and spring flowering Crocus

We are still waiting for most of ours to even surface down here! Just C.cancellatus, C.kotschyanusXochroleucus, C.pulchellus and the first noses on C.pallasii and C.banaticus. Crocus niveus wasn't up until November last year and managed to flower thtough the first snow storms.

[pehe]

Crocus season has started in Denmark

Poul

[Gerry Webster]

From Feb 14th 2008 Tony G said http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=search2
"asturicus = serotinus ssp ?  I cannot recall which and I am not at home now!"

I must relabel mine.

C. asturicus 'Atropurpureus' = C.serotinus subsp. salzmannii as Ashley noted above (although Mathew suggests it may be a hybrid)

[Alex]

Crocus mathewi and a solitary C. banaticus in the greenhouse today.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Fantastic Crocus mathewii, Alex. But why is Crocus banaticus in the greenhouse? He is full hardy and likes a lot of rain.

[Janis Ruksans]

Fantastic Crocus mathewii, Alex. But why is Crocus banaticus in the greenhouse? He is full hardy and likes a lot of rain.

In Latvia I allways lost banaticus in one-two years growing it outside. In cold greenhose (pots, boxes) - it is growing without any problems.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus mathewi and a solitary C. banaticus in the greenhouse today.

My C. mathewii still sleeping. Next week will come cooling and are offered temperatures not higher than 2-4 C and at weekend - first snow (in my district). Not very common so early. Fortunately tomorrow will finish replanting and sawing of seeds although I'm still waiting for few shipments with bulbs.
Janis

[Hagen Engelmann]

Oh Janis that`s interesting. Here is Zone 6b. Last winter we had temperatures under -27°C (but only for a time of 7 days). No problem for cb. I never saw the original habitats in romania - but I feel the coldness there. Thanks for your advice.
With a last pic of today.

[Rafa]

This afternoon I went for a walk arround my village looking for C. serotinus subsp. salzmannii. They are just starting to bloom here and there are only a few.

[Rafa]

sorry if I insist about this, just comparing both specimens.

[tonyg]

Not leaves at all. Although size, or are not a valid character to identified, they are very uniform. C. salzmannii has a absolute range of colour between pure withe, pale lila, deep purple, stripped... all possibilities. Also they are very regular in size excepting  the ones that grows in full shade that could have very large perianthe.

Ecologicaly this Crocus  is also very diferent always grows in full shade, under the trees (quercus, acer....) and C. serotinus salzmannii is the oposite, it grows better if full sun, in open fields in the high mountains, where the conditions are very extreme.

I don't know if it is a valid character, but I collected seeds in La Leze last spring and they have bigger size comparing with C. serotinus salzmannii.

Well I notice diferences, but I think I haven't solid arguments 

 

I think your observations are valid Rafa.  The observations about seed differences are relevant and borne out by my own observations in cultivation.  Also the uniform nature of C nudiflorus is maintained in cultivation while I have raised many different forms of C serotinus, just as you describe. 

The habitat differences that you note are interesting.  I have seen Crocus nudiflorus (in spring as leaves -  seed collected confirmed it was nudiflorus several years later!) in the Pyrenees.  It grew in open grassy places high in the mountains.  Perhaps it needs the cooler (?moister) places at lower altitudes.

Thanks for sharing these observations of the plants in the wild.  Looking forward to more!

[Michael J Campbell]

A few in bloom here in the last week. Feel free to correct names.
Crocus goulimyi detail.
Crocus goulimyi.
Crocus serotinus versicolour.
Crocus banaticus.
Crocus banaticus first snow . Ex J. R.
Crocus goulimyi mani white.
Crocus pulchellus.
Crocus pulchellus detail, from seed.
Crocus pulchellus albus.
Crocus serotinus salzmannii.

[Michael J Campbell]

A few more.

Crocus speciosus oxonian ?
Crocus speciosus pulchellus hyb. ?

[Alex]

Hello Hagen,

I used to have many C. banaticus but, for whatever reason, my big pan dwindled to nothing over the last 2 years. I'm cossetting these few as they're my last ones! But don't worry, this plunge is kept very moist.

Alex