Crocus caspius

[Lesley Cox]

My best C caspius are nearby to C. banaticus which definitely likes to be moist in summer. Both lots are where I have dwarf rhodos and similar things. I water the rhodos frequently through summer or they don't flower well.

[ian mcenery]

I have been trying to grow this from seed for about five years and each year I have sown a few seeds but my score to date is zero. Today  I counted 8 pots with a caspius label and not a sign. Has anyone had any success growing  this from seed and how did you do it? I have sown a couple of hundred pots of crocus seed using the deep sowing technique and over 90% have germinated  but this one has beaten me - or rather I may have beaten it. Help 

Just by way of an update  I just thought I would let know that this year 5 of about 10 of my pots of caspius seed  have germinated in the last month. Incredibly one of the pots is from 2007 which had been put into a  batch of old pots for disposal - a close call. It is amazing how long crocus seed can be viable for. Also I now have corms through the generosity of a forumist who  took pity on me and sent me a couple _THANK YOU.

[Gerry Webster]

I'm still waiting for C. caspius - sown in 2006 (JJA seed) - to even look as though they  might get to flowering size. They live all year round in an open plunge & I live in hope. Some corms I was given as C. caspius turned out to be C. hadriaticus

[ian mcenery]

I'm still waiting for C. caspius - sown in 2006 (JJA seed) - to even look as though they  might get to flowering size. They live all year round in an open plunge & I live in hope. Some corms I was given as C. caspius turned out to be C. hadriaticus

Gerry once germinated I put all my crocus seedlings under cover as although I find seedlings tend to tougher than mature plant I give them all cover in a cold frame or the greenhouse. According to Mathew this plant from the Caspian area is a low level plant and as  the Caspian sea below sea level the plant can be found growing at very low altitude perhaps below sea level.

[Gerry Webster]

Ian - some 10 years ago when I had flowering size  C. caspius I found they did much better  outside. In fact I lost the lot when I left them under glass during the summer. I was ill at the time so they received no water.

[tonyg]

Here's some hope for you Ian!

I have raised C caspius from seed a few times over the years.  Given your record of success with so many other species I'm sure you'll crack it now you have germinations.  The plants seen below were from a 2007 sowing.  First flower in 2012 I think.  This is the first year they have made a display like this.  I keep mine dry in summer.  This year i tried Paul Cumbletons  idea of polystyrene covers over the pots during dormancy to guard against extreme heat.  Early yet but initial results suggest that this has improved things.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Here's some hope for you Ian!
I have raised C caspius from seed a few times over the years.  Given your record of success with so many other species I'm sure you'll crack it now you have germinations.  The plants seen below were from a 2007 sowing.  First flower in 2012 I think.  This is the first year they have made a display like this.  I keep mine dry in summer.  This year i tried Paul Cumbletons  idea of polystyrene covers over the pots during dormancy to guard against extreme heat.  Early yet but initial results suggest that this has improved things.

Stunning Tony ! Thanks for the idea with the cover , very interesting !
I have 4  seedlings that germinated in the autumn from previous year . Seed came from Gothenburg . They are outside now in a plunge .But I suppose I better put them frostfree when first frost arrives ?

[ian mcenery]

Here's some hope for you Ian!

I have raised C caspius from seed a few times over the years.  Given your record of success with so many other species I'm sure you'll crack it now you have germinations.  The plants seen below were from a 2007 sowing.  First flower in 2012 I think.  This is the first year they have made a display like this.  I keep mine dry in summer.  This year i tried Paul Cumbletons  idea of polystyrene covers over the pots during dormancy to guard against extreme heat.  Early yet but initial results suggest that this has improved things.

Lovely group Tony and thanks for that idea of covering the pots. I will give it a try it might work for some other species too though where I grow most of mine they are already in part shade due to my neighbours trees. 

[tonyg]

Stunning Tony ! Thanks for the idea with the cover , very interesting !
I have 4  seedlings that germinated in the autumn from previous year . Seed came from Gothenburg . They are outside now in a plunge .But I suppose I better put them frostfree when first frost arrives ?

Frost Free?  Well mine are not!  It depends on how cold, how long for and especially how wet the soil is/roots are.  Mine are in a ground level cold frame, open sides but cover over the top.  They have been in the same frame since seed was sown so have come through all the hard winters of recent years.  Perhaps the cold would be more severe where you are so you might need to be more cautious?

[ian mcenery]

Ian - some 10 years ago when I had flowering size  C. caspius I found they did much better  outside. In fact I lost the lot when I left them under glass during the summer. I was ill at the time so they received no water.

Gerry thanks your experience seems to fit with Tony's experience too. I tend to split my crocuses into three groups for summer cultivation i.e. those that like it dry, those that will tolerate moisture and those that don't like to be dry and may even like it cool in summer  such as pelistericus which I water fairly regularly. I know that there are other requirements such as dry and cool and these do not fit perfectly with this either but these are the broad groups I follow though hopefully  using a little intuition as necessary. So for the summer perhaps I should store them with cool but not dry brigade