Crocus October 2009

[I.S.]

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.

Tony very nice one, It remind ne C. biflorus melantherus! What I have seen as C. nerimaniae there was no sign of striped and connective anthers! (they were with fully dark anthers).

[Maggi Young]

David: lovely dark form to your new crocus banaticus.... feels great to have grown them from seed, doesn't it?

Chris and Smon: I hope you are sniffing the Crocus niveus to confirm my assertion that the flowers have the scent of Nerium oleander

[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.

Tony very nice one, It remind ne C. biflorus melantherus! What I have seen as C. nerimaniae there was no sign of striped and connective anthers! (they were with fully dark anthers).

Ibrahim

nice to hear from you. I do not quite understand what you mean by striped and connective anthers.

[I.S.]

Tony, I mean what I have seen as C. nerimaniae. They were have quite dark anthers and petals were quite sky blue.

[Tony Willis]

Ibrahim

I have the description published in 'The Plantsman' June 2004 and it states that the petals are lilac but I suppose it depends on how the sun is shining on them,how our eyes see them and in the case of pictures also the photography. Certainly I would say they were lilac and of course they do have black anthers.

[Anthony Darby]

Tony - C. nerimaniae is stunning.

Yep, I agree.

[tonyg]

Put me on the list for seed from Crocus nerimanae - one to lust after ... even if there is no list!

A few more crocus images here
Crocus autranii (or a hybrid with C gilanicus) pollinated - hope it is as generous with seed as Crocus gilanicus.
Crocus boryi - an elegant large flowered form.
Crocus caspius - form with some lilac colour on the outer petals.  Note the distinctive style.
Crocus goulimyi - I love the shape, no other crocus is quite like it.
Crocus tournefortii - my favourite autumn species,  This form has an especially well divided style.

[Armin]

Paul Christian at www.rareplants.co.uk. It is no longer listed. I wish I'd ordered three!

If one likes to find "Dream Dancer", click on "Search" on P.C. web page and enter keyword "crocus", select search criteria "all words" and categories "all sections".
You get ttl 105 species photos with descriptions.
"Dream Dancer" is on page 7...

TonyG, beautiful croci stuff - as ususal

Chris & Simon, very nice C. pulchellus variants from the wild and other beautiful croci from your garden. Likely the double flowers are just one-time appearance.

David, bravo and congratulations for the fine C. banaticus breeding result.  

TonyW, just superb C. nerimaniae or not?

Today we had a sunny morning and my "tall" C. speciosus opened flower. I don't want to deprive it from the forum.
The second photo was taken opposed the sunlight. I like the play of colours. Both are new seedlings appeared in my meadow.

[mark smyth]

Tony is your ?Crocus autranii pollinated by insects or you? Either way it' s well pollinated.

[tonyg]

Tony is your ?Crocus autranii pollinated by insects or you? Either way it' s well pollinated.

By me and my little paintbrush.  Fingers crossed for seed.

[I.S.]

Ibrahim

I have the description published in 'The Plantsman' June 2004 and it states that the petals are lilac but I suppose it depends on how the sun is shining on them,how our eyes see them and in the case of pictures also the photography. Certainly I would say they were lilac and of course they do have black anthers.

Tony. you are right that is a little bit light show. That might be cause of my screen too, it lies on its side!!!

[Thomas Huber]

Here's one that has no label.

Anthony, this is Crocus kotschyanus var leucopharynx. Often sold as C. karduchorum, which it isn't,
it seems just an albino version of kotschyanus with its white style and the white throat.

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks Thomas.

[Thomas Huber]

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.

Tony, Gerry, I have had a look at my thomasii's today and found my own collection without hairs
and plants sent by a friend from Apulia with hairs - so I'm not sure if this is a reliable feature for
distinguishing hadriaticus and thomasii.
My flower colour and striping looks exactly like Tony's plant.

[annew]

Oh dear, croconutosis is striking - first the mental picture of TonyG hurrying down to his greenhouse in his pyjamas and handlens, then Thomas' hairy friend from Apulia....