Crocus October 2009

[Gerry Webster]

I have had no problems, and anything I have not been happy with has been instantly replaced, even when the disappointment has been within the limits of variation within a particular species.

Anthony - I recognise this phrase. When I emailed to point out that the variation in one plant was well outside the limits - based on the characterisation actually posted on the website - I got no reply. I find this supplier very erratic in his response. Sometimes very generous, at other times extremely reluctant to acknowledge any error

[Paul T]

Anthony,

That Dream Dancer is an amazing flower.  You could easily make your money back by the sound of it just by pollinating it and hopefully setting seed..... then auctioning off the seed to the highest bidder.  Would be well worthwhile trying seed from it too, as you never know what you'd get.  Great flower, and great pic.

Michael,

Great detail in your pics.  I like the damascenus with it's intricate shading in particular.

Tony,

What you call ordinary, I still call gorgeous.  No Crocus here for at least another 5 months or so.  

[tonyg]

A view of my autumn crocus frame - depleted after virus and root rot problems (hopefully in the past).......
Finally a nicely veined form of Crocus thomasii

Root rot? I think I recognise that -  especially in purchased saffron crocus.
Tony, are you sure that this is C. thomasii? I ask because I recently posted a pic of very similar plant that I thought was this sp. but closer inspection of the leaves revealed a ciliate margin  which suggests C. hadriaticus or a near hybrid.

Gerry - I did wonder about this as I posted the pic.  It can be difficult to distinguish between some lilac forms of C hadriaticus and C thomasii.  However, I have just been down the garden (in my  PJs - a rare lie-in ) and checked.  The Crocus thomasii pictured has glabrous leaf margins, just the faintest hint  of bristles on the keel.  With the same lens I observed very clear hairs on the leaf margins of Crocus hadriaticus.  So I think we can give this Thomas the benefit of the doubt
Janis article in the CG newsletter that made me realise that I had had a major problem with Pythium, perhaps due to a bad batch of compost.

[Hristo]

Less dramatic perhaps than 'Dream Dancer' ( nice one Anthony! )
A selection of Crocus pulchellus from the Dadia and Soufli Forests in N.E. Greece.
The best flowering was above 600m and accross these forests the sheer number of Crocus pulchellus must
number in the millions! Colours ranged from the darker colour shown through to pearlescent and albino forms.
Stigmas ranged from yellow to near red!

[Gerry Webster]

Less dramatic perhaps, but just as beautiful. Great to see in the wild - thanks Chris.

[Sinchets]

Flowering here as a welcome home present
Crocus pallasii pallasii
Crocus 'niveus?' doubled
Crocus niveus collected as seed March2000 in the far south of the Mani Peninsula

[David Nicholson]

Here is my Crocus banaticus (I think!) after an hour on the kitchen window sill to get it to open. On Crocus Pages Tonyg says of banaticus ".... with a flower whose outside petals can reflex leading some early botanists to call the plant Crocus iridiflorus" and now I see what he means.

This is a minor triumph for me as this is the first Crocus I have grown from seed to flowering. Seed was from the 2006/07 SRGC Seed Ex. and 25 were sown on 29 August 2007. I re-potted in July finding 12 small corms so it should give me a nice pot full next year.

[Tony Willis]

Simon

very nice pictures.I tried to go to the Dadia last year but was thwarted by a petrol strike.

Crocus nerimaiae in flower today.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely Tony.

[Hristo]

Gerry, many thanks for your appreciation of my pictures!
Bravo David, a super first to flower crocus species!
David, very very nice indeed!

[mark smyth]

Good to see the variation of puchellus. The double is very fine. I'm sure one day there will be more stable doubles

[Sinchets]

This one has 10 petals and 2 lots of stamens but only 1 stigma.
A picture of the doubled flower closing
and Crocus tournefortii flowering this afternoon

[Hristo]

Cheers Mark, the variability is mouth watering, we have some growing from seed and are looking forward to seeing what 'emerges'!

[Gerry Webster]

Good to see the variation of puchellus. The double is very fine. I'm sure one day there will be more stable doubles

I hope not.

[Gerry Webster]

Tony - C. nerimaniae is stunning.