Crocus October 2009

[tonyg]

Could my dark orange centred C. speciosus, a few posts above, be C. speciosus xantholaimos.

Yes!  It is the only ssp of Crocus speciosus with a yellow throat.

[mark smyth]

Thanks Tony. I'll label them now

[Thomas Huber]

I lost all my caspius stocks last winter. It was too cold for this species.
Janis

I had the same problem with my C. caspius here, Janis. After 5 years or hard searching I had the first
flowers last autumn and now they are all killed by frost      

This wild form of medius has a good seed set in my garden, but I don't know if one flower is enough
for successful pollinating. If you don't get seeds contact me and you will get a second corm.


Sorry can't help with the clusii question. I don't have plants for comparing.

[mark smyth]

The C. speciosus xantholaimos were supplied by Dix as C. pulchellus x C. speciosus xantholaimos

[Thomas Huber]

Hi Thomas,
Here they are. I forgot the labels, but I am sure the darker ones are Oxonian. Maybe you can help me to ID your Crocus.
Cheers,

Thanks John.
- 83 and 85 are what I have as speciosus 'Aichinsonii', but as usual with speciosus cultivars I can't be sure if they
are correctly named. In every case they are wonderful, large flowering plants with good pastel colouring.
- 86,87 and 88 are - like Janis already mentioned - speciosus 'Oxonian'
- 89 looks like a dark form of serotinus ssp salzmannii, without leaves on the photo, but usually they appear with the flowers
- 90 is one of my favourite speciosus, dark veining and a good scent on dark and strong stems, probably the old cultivar 'Artabir'

[Janis Ruksans]

An all blue mathewii?

Is this speciosus too well coloured to be speciosus?

It looks as true speciosus xantholaimos. See attached picture.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

I lost all my caspius stocks last winter. It was too cold for this species.
Janis

I had the same problem with my C. caspius here, Janis. After 5 years or hard searching I had the first
flowers last autumn and now they are all killed by frost      

This wild form of medius has a good seed set in my garden, but I don't know if one flower is enough
for successful pollinating. If you don't get seeds contact me and you will get a second corm.


Sorry can't help with the clusii question. I don't have plants for comparing.

I selfed it by hand - will see in spring. Many thanks for your kind offer.
Janis

[mark smyth]

Thanks Janis.

[Oakwood]

Just now I saw Crocus banaticus blooming in lawn near my job-place of our ukrainian capital!!! I said my self "wow", it's banaticus!  and so abundantly flowering in the yard! It seems to be seed's origin cause they have different shades!

[Janis Ruksans]

Just now I saw Crocus banaticus blooming in lawn near my job-place of our ukrainian capital!!! I said my self "wow", it's banaticus!  and so abundantly flowering in the yard! It seems to be seed's origin cause they have different shades!

I mostly like the last for its deep purple stigma.
Janis

[Gerry Webster]

I lost all my caspius stocks last winter. It was too cold for this species.
Janis

I had the same problem with my C. caspius here, Janis. After 5 years or hard searching I had the first
flowers last autumn and now they are all killed by frost      

This wild form of medius has a good seed set in my garden, but I don't know if one flower is enough
for successful pollinating. If you don't get seeds contact me and you will get a second corm.


Sorry can't help with the clusii question. I don't have plants for comparing.

After years of  searching, I eventually acquired C. caspius from Ron Beeston. It increased well & I kept it for several years but  eventually lost the entire stock to summer heat &/or drought. So, it seems, the recipe for success is neither too hot nor too cold, but just right.  This year I thought I might be in line for a replacement stock since a  forumist offered me a corm in exchange for a collected form of  C. laevigatus. I duly sent off my laevigatus preceded by an advance email, received no acknowledgment  & no caspius. This forumist no longer appears on the list of members.

This year I will have two flowering size corms of the 'wild form' of C. ligusticus (medius) so maybe I will get some seed. Last year I attempted to pollinate the trade form of C. ligusticus (which appears to be sterile) with pollen from the 'wild form', with no success.  

[mark smyth]

Jerry if you remind me in late spring I can send you a corm or two of C. medius.

[Gerry Webster]

Jerry if you remind me in late spring I can send you a corm or two of C. medius.

Mark - many thanks for the offer. I am ok for C. medius, it is C. caspius for which I am looking - as rare as hen's teeth.

[tonyg]

Just now I saw Crocus banaticus blooming in lawn near my job-place of our ukrainian capital!!! I said my self "wow", it's banaticus!  and so abundantly flowering in the yard! It seems to be seed's origin cause they have different shades!

Lovely!  I think you could be right about the seed origin, every one in your pics has been nicely pollinated

[mark smyth]

I never noticed until you said.

My pollinating paint brush has gone missing so now that the hoverflies have gone I need to do the work