The naming of crocus

[Armin]

Outside.
I am no good with pot culturing so I try everything in the garden. Sandy soil with lots of humus and the Crocus planted in a sunny/semi shade spot under a tree (Acer).
My form is a good increaser in the garden. From 2 to 13 corms in just two growing seasons and the last one had a very tough winter.

John,
don't you annual lift your C. mathewii as it requires a hot & dry summer rest?

[John Aipassa]

No Armin, up until now I have left my mathewii in the garden all year round. In the summer they stand relatively dry because the Acer (palmatum) sucks up much of the moisture in the soil. The tree is a shallow rooter hence the relatively dryeness in the summer.   

I only have lifted the mathewii this summer for a couple of minutes to find out that it had increased that much. The corms were planted again within minutes giving them each a bit more space.

[Armin]

John,
interesting, I keep my fingers crossed this will work for you in the long term.

I'm a fan of growing crocus outside (crocus meadows) leaving them as long as possible undisturbed.
It would be dreamlike to have several flowering clumps of C. mathewii in my meadow.

But actual only the most robust, winter proof and moisture tolerant species and cultivars survived in long term my conditions.

[John Aipassa]

I'm a fan of growing crocus outside (crocus meadows) leaving them as long as possible undisturbed.
It would be dreamlike to have several flowering clumps of C. mathewii in my meadow.

I know what you mean Armin. Crocuses in the meadow are more pleasing in the eye than pot grown. But if the latter is the only mean to grow a specific species or form succesfully than so be it. But that specific Crocus would not be in my possesion for a long time than, me being hopeless with pots .

Maybe or hopefully a specific seedling of mathewii will eventually emerge that will grow well in the garden permanently and than we all can have a dreamlike meadow full of this dream Crocus .

[Armin]

I hope our dreams become true one day

[daveyp1970]

Ian thank you for bringing this issue up on your blog and i thought you demonstrated the issue spot on,all i would like is if i were to buy a crocus that is labelled clonal then it should be, not mixing up with seed raised plants because they resemble the named clone(i realise the reason is because nurserymen are quickly as possibly raising stock to sell and no matter what the name register says you can do...DONT....sell it as it is clone or seed raised)if they are raised from seed clearly state it then i can make an informed choice,that's all really.