Hybridisation question

[Arda Takan]

What happens if we hybridise a spring flowering crocus with an autumn flowering crocus?

[Lesley Cox]

Logically, a winter or late autumn or early spring flowering crocus but the two would have to be compatible species in the first place, and then, take a fancy to each other in order to produce the seeds.  Depending on which you wanted to be the mother and which the father, you'd have to preserve the autumn pollen safely for a few months or the spring pollen for many months.

[mark smyth]

Janis, Ian Y or Tony G will have a good answer

[Arda Takan]

Thank you for your replies

My question is not for crocus by the way. For any bulbous plant which has both autumn and spring flowering species.

Sincerely.

[Janis Ruksans]

Thank you for your replies

My question is not for crocus by the way. For any bulbous plant which has both autumn and spring flowering species.

Sincerely.

There are crosses between spring and autumn blooming daffodils, using autumn N. viridiflorus in attempts to rise spring blooming daffodils with green flowers. Regarding crocuses - they are quite conservative and interspecific hybrids are not easy, but I know about one cross between autumn and "spring" blooming Crocus, but used most likely was exceptional winter blooming form of spring Crocus. This hybrid isn't mentioned in my coming (when?) book, as I didn't know about this at time of last check of manuscript. Problem isn't only incompatibility of species but keeping of viability of pollens through winter/summer. I kept Tulip pollens for 2 month's to cross early blooming species with late bloomers. I read that it is possible to keep tulip pollens viable for next season in exicator at +2-4 C temperature, but never tried it. May be youcan keep spring crocus pot frosen at minus 1-2 C up to autumn and imitating spring in autumn to make cross then?
Janis

[Arda Takan]

Thank you for your detailed reply Janis, I'll keep those in mind.