Crocus April, 2018

[GordonT]

Help, I need to ask a favour, due to a boneheaded action by self! Seed of Crocus banaticus, and Crocus speciosus ex 'Oxonian' were being soaked prior to being sown. The bowls of seed were separated from their identifying packets for writing labels, and now I don't know which is which! Can anyone say which species would have darker seed than the other? I have found the photos of Crocus speciosus seed on the forum, but none of banaticus.

One packet of seed is quite dark brown after soaking overnight, and each seed is a bit larger than the seeds from the other packet (more of a reddish brown). If anyone can help sort this out for me, I'd be in your debt. Just goes to show- be sure to have enough coffee on the morning to clear the cobwebs!

[Maggi Young]

Photos of Crocus banaticus seeds in Bulb Log 24 of 2006
http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2006/140606/log.html

[GordonT]

Thank you, Maggi for the help. I will have to live with my own error until the seedlings bloom. Seeds definitely vary in size and colour depending on ripeness/date of harvest, and freshness. Time will sort things out!

[pehe]

You don't have to wait until they flower. The leaves are quite different of the two species. In the first year they look somewhat similar, but in the second year there is no doubt. Later today I will post some pictures of seedling leaves.

Poul

[pehe]

Here are some pics of Crocus banaticus and Crocus speciosus seedling leaves, which clearly shows the difference.

[GordonT]

Thank you, Poul. It looks to me as if speciosus has narrower leaves than banaticus. Did you donate speciosus  ex Oxonian to the seedex this past year? If so, I have you to thank for my seeds.

[pehe]

Yes they have much broader leaves than speciosus. A couple of years ago, I donated Ox. seeds, but not last year, which was a very bad year regarding Crocus seeds. This year is much better - a lots of seed pods and I have harvested the first seeds.

Poul

[Janis Ruksans]

I'm far too busy to work on pictures. Still one crocus are in bloom - it is C. minimus. 2 pictures attached, but the latest form of it still not started blooming. In same time soma already are harvested - they were caspius with some late frost damage on leaves, and in few days some goulimyi forms will be ready to harvest. Were harvested the first 2 seedpods of Crocus cappadocicus.
Twice a week all are fed by late season crystalon (red) through leaves (by spraying with 0.2 % strong solution. Tomorrow will be last spray. Still are watered late comers - cvijicii, veluchensis, autranii, vallicola, scardicus, pelistericus. Weather still very cool and wet. In full bloom are tulips - wild species and my own hybrids, but Alliums only show flower heads between leaves.
In the last picture - view from Latvian TV where my wife Guna presents her new book - PHLOXES (in Latvian) - on screen the TV reporter, I and Guna.

[Jupiter]

Can resident croconuts please have a look at this picture for me and suggest a possible species name? It was given to me as Crocus goulimyi, but it looks quite different from the other goulimyi I have from Otto and other trusted sources. Could it be a variant or different form of that species? Autumn flowering remember, I'm in the Southern Hemisphere.

[Otto Fauser]

Jamus ,  your Crocus is most likely the easy and widely grown ( in Australia ) Cr. serotinus , and probably the ssp. salzmannii. From the photos you shared recently on the Forum the autumnfl. species seem to thrive in your garden . -as they do in my garden .  the most vigorous here are C. banaticus  and caspius  self sown in most unexpected spots in many hundreds  - beautiful over the last few weeks in glorious autumn sunshine .

[Jupiter]

Thank you Otto. I looked up salzmannii in my book and I think it's a good fit. I'm thrilled with the flowering of my autumn crocus this year, especially the ones in the garden. It gives me confidence to move more into the ground next summer.