Crocus October 2009

[Gerry Webster]

First flower today on Crocus longiflorus (?) AH9703. Third year with us, but it chose to bulk up rather than flower until now.

Very nice Simon, but why the question mark? The available information is that this collection of C. longiflorus was made by Hoog in the Nebrodi mountains, Sicily.

[Sinchets]

Gerry, the main reason for the (?) these days is that many of my plants seem to be wrong- through my own mistakes or the errors of others. Thanks also- I hadn't realised AH was Antoine Hoog. 
Robin, the scent makes it even more attractive- almost edible.

[Melvyn Jope]

As well as the C. cartwrightianus in this photo I also have C. oreocreticus in flower, I have a problem discerning the difference, is there an easy way?

[Armin]

Melvyn,
beautiful C. cartwrightianus (with hairy throat ).

To your question: sofar as I know...

C. cartwrightianus (C. sativus) & C. tournefortii -> Flowers stay open during night.
C. cartwrightianus flowers with good developed leaves, grows in lowland, throat hairy.
C. orecreticus -> Flower closed during night, flowers w/o or  little developed leaves, grows in high mountains of Crete, throat glabrous.

[Janis Ruksans]

As well as the C. cartwrightianus in this photo I also have C. oreocreticus in flower, I have a problem discerning the difference, is there an easy way?

Flowers of Crocus oreocreticus are lighter or darker purple with prominent veining and somewhat pointed in overall appearance; the inner segments in my samples are remarkably shorter and narrower than the outer ones. The filaments are very short and white, the anthers much longer and bright yellow. The style divides in the throat into three bright orange to red branches which end near the tips of anthers. Leaves appear together with flowers or at the end of blooming. In my collection it is the only crocus in which the cataphylls raise above ground to quite a great length closely enwrapping the green leaves and flower stalk and only then on the top opens a flower. It seems like the flowers are being pushed out onto the tip of a pencil pressed into the ground. It is so unusual that I have never misidentified this species. Maybe I plant its corms too shallow? Similar plants I have seen in other collections, too, although not always. Its flowers are of so special color and shape that for me it would be difficult to mix it up with any other species.
Janis

[David Nicholson]

I couldn't resist posting another pic of my pot of Crocus goulimyi (grown from SRGC Seed Ex. seed, sown 29 August 2007), because this time, to accompany the C. goulimy ssp. goulimyi shown before I have C. goulimyi ssp. leucanthus.

Third and fourth pics are C. serotinus salzmannii.

[art600]

We have all admired the Crocus mathewii from Peter Moore.  Here is Peter's Crocus boryi - form an orderly queue please  

[Armin]

Janis,
thank you for the detailed description of C. orecreticus. You have certainly pictures of the beauty.
Will you kindly show us?
Do you agree with my easy simple way of differentiation?

David,
you are not only a specialist of primula I have to say

Arthur,
I love it.   Nicely feathered outside. Background is just a little bit dark and maybe not all can see its beauty.
I've downloaded and auto-corrected your picture.
I hope this is in your mind.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

We have all admired the Crocus mathewii from Peter Moore.  Here is Peter's Crocus boryi - form an orderly queue please  

Arthur !
Where have you hidden this beauty It really is awesome !

Great job David !  Better change your signature soon ! 

[David Nicholson]

I'll add a WOW too Arthur

    Thank you Armin.

Luc, when I start getting the wrong ones right then I might change it

[art600]

Armin

Many thanks for producing the real Crocus.

[Lesley Cox]

A fabulous plant Art, the queue may form right across the oceans.

[tonyg]

Crocus still looking good here - it has been a good autumn for crocus in the eastern UK.  
First three quite different forms of Crocus cartwrightianus.  The one labelled 82-97 conforms quite closely to Janis description of Crocus oreocreticus, I shall have to take a closer look, it may be misnamed.   What you cannot see from these pics is that it is about half the size of the other two.

[tonyg]

Four more.
Crocus gilanicus - a late flower.  Only small, about half the size of the next one.
Crocus kotschyanus HKEP 92-05 (Helmut Kerndorff/Erich Pasche) a form with (almost) white style.
Crocus goulimyi - a vigorous potful
Crocus laevigatus - a small Cretan form. Some dark stripes on the outside of the outer petals

[tonyg]

A final five!
Crocus biflorus melantherus - raised from wild seed so shows variation.
Crocus hadriaticus parnonicus - all lilac ssp of hadriaticus.  Big, elegant flowers, hoping for seed.
Crocus longiflorus - labelled 'ex best striped form'.  Evidently breeds true
Crocus pulchellus - labelled C chrysanthus!  This is raised from seed from an area where both the autumn flowering C pulchellus and the spring flowering C chrysanthus grow together.  It's a nice form.
Crocus thomasii - from home produced seed.  A huge flower.