Crocus March in Greece

[Janis Ruksans]

I just returned from fantastical and incredibly successful trip to Greece. My main target was Athos peninsula - this semi-independent church-state in Greece where only 4 non-ortodox male are allowed to enter daily and not longer than for 4 days. Of course - well in advance special permission - some kind of visa you must obtain.
I’m again going to search mysterious crocus pictured there and published on internet as Crocus pallasii, but it certainly belongs to biflorus group. Last year in sea were storm and so no access was possible because it is allowed to enter this semi-island only. But monks didn’t forget to cash 30,- Euro for this dimitirion (visa).
So this spring I again applied for permission to visit Athos. I decided to go there a month later, hoping that weather will be better, but in any case I added two days for staying there in case if returning would delay for weather reasons. And weather broadcast for trip time was perfect - really no wind, no rain, temperature +10-17 C. After Latvian cold - marvellous weather.
Last summer on Athos were large forest-fires, so I’m a little afraid that crocus localities could be destroyed. But as you can see - everywhere left some green islands. Later turned that fires destroyed only north part forests, but crocuses were recorded only from South. Trip starts from Ouranopolis, where you must receive dimitirion (30,- Euro) and then get ticket to ferry (7.50 Euro) for Daphni - single entry point to Holy Mountain (Agion Oros). This year I'm accompanied by my Czech friend who is Cyclamen-lover, so no competition for crocuses.
From sea a lot of monasteries are achievable. Panteleimona is the largest. It is Russian monastery where at best time lived 2000 monks.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

There is bus guiding from Daphni to Administrative Centrum of Athos - Karyes. By Lonely Planet there are two guest-houses, but it seems that at present only one left. Price 30,- Eu per night - toilet in corridor - old style with hole in floor. Instead of wardrobe there are nails in doors. Horribly hot - we open both small windows to keep temperature down. Quality of beds is out of comment. Large holes in floor are closed by building foam. So named restaurant at base floor offers us great menu from 5 selections - 1) ouzo (anis brandy), 2) beer, 3) coffee, 4) salad, 5) pasta. We order salad + pasta. Salad was made from fresh cabbage, finely sliced and overtopped by marinade with few small peaces of carrot, cucumber and paprika (really very few peaces). Pasta was overtopped with some gravy and sliced goat cheese of uncertain age and horrible taste. Glass of water was free of charge, but this meal cost us 20,- Euro per person… Next breakfast we were offered only 2 choices - coffee (we resigned) and bean soap for 5,- Euro per person. Amazingly - later we found just opposite side of street two shops - there we bought various meals + 2 bottles of wine and bread for all next days for another 40,- Euro. Greatest surprise for me in this shop is canned smoked fish in oil produced in Latvia and sparkling wine “Riga Champaign” from Latvia.
Of course - alternative was to live in monastery with monks, but you must to stay in each monastery only for one night, to live by monks schedule and it must be free of charge, but you must book monasteries in advance.
Janis
P.S. Some of pictures are made by my Czech friend - Vaclav Jošt.

[Janis Ruksans]

Previous studies showed that searched biflorus crocus was earlier recorded in 1914 under hazelnut plantings near Karyes, then in 1944 near Karakalou monastery and it was pictured and published on internet near Iviron monastery (in 2007 or 2009). As we came in Karyes at midday, we decided to use the rest of light day to explore surroundings of Karyes. Of course I had no hopes to 100 years old hazelnut plantings, but there were plenty of bulbs in vicinity. Just near Karyes were large fields with snowdrop leaves, from bus window driving to Karyes we saw a lot of Scilla bifolia in full bloom. But I didn’t sea any place with hazelnuts and even more - nothing what would look as Crocus habitat. Everywhere jungles of spiny shrubs, especially impassable blackberry jungles. In one spot close to road we found large clumps with Lilium candidum in company with lily-beetle. In many places are blooming anemones. And then came small meadow which could be crocus habitat, but grass is so long - it is too late, all observations and pictures of this crocus were made at end of January. But there are some Romulea in full bloom.
How I spotted leaves of Crocus there - I still can’t understand. It happens after few steps on this small meadow, but even long search didn’t succeed in finding of second one. And this single one by corm looked more like C. pulchellus, growing here, too. Further between Erica with some openings single what I saw was huge and thick snake quickly hiding from sunny opened spot into shrubs. We walked some 5-6 hours, taking small passes (now almost unused more as large roads are built up). In evening I felt strong pain in legs and used Finalgon unguent and pills against cramps in leg. Winter “sleep” at computer without exercising…
But my mood is very low - it is too late. In such grass to find crocuses without flowers and without knowledge about exact locality is almost impossible. So next year again to Athos - then in January. There are growing Crocus chrysanthus too and without flower would not be easy to determine which annulate species you find.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Next morning after “bean soap” we are making own coffee and are turning in direction to Iviron monastery. By map distance to it is 7.5 km and is needed 2 hours of walk there. Our road there took double time as we made a lot of side research, but without results. There are few spots near Iviron where could be crocuses, but we found nothing. So we turn back on not very good mood. Tomorrow we must took small microbus serving here as taxi for reaching Karakallou monastery - it is 17.5 km from Karyes or 4 hours walk. Fortunately half-way back we stop a car which brings us back to our “hotel”.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Few more pictures from 2nd day on Athos.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

In night we are awakened by very heavy rain. Morning is much cooler with some not very strong wind, but people who came for bus to sea-port soon go back. There will be no connection to “outer world” today. We took taxi-bus to Karakalou. After Iviron we are passing monk’s winery on seaside and taxi brings us to new-built St. Peters roadside church. From here far after valley seem to be some spots which from distance looks something clearer and may be for crocuses, too? Here are plenty of Cyclamen hederifolium leaves on roadsides, some tulip, ornithogalum leaves, too.
Approximating those lighter spots we saw that they are only places where trees were cut down and nature replaced them by spiny jungles of blackberries. On roadside we saw footprints of wild boar and leaf remnants of eaten tulip bulbs. We decide go dawn to seaside. A Road winds down to old unused boat harbour and continue following borderline at some 20 m over sea level. Slope to see is rocky and covered by same blackberry branches. Although at very bottom are some small meadows there are no way down. It took some hour to search before I spotted place with less steep slope where some building rubbish were deposited allowing to step down up to those small grassy flattenings.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

And there it is. Crocus. Some leaves and between them old flower remnants which were initially blue coloured. I check its tunics - yes! It is biflorus group. Putting eyes up I’m shocked - Crocuses are in full bloom. Not very densely, but plenty. GPS shows altitude at lowest spot 5m over sea level, highest point - 10 m. Now follow picturing, measuring of flower details, leaves etc. It really looks new one species close to stridii and type subspecies of biflorus, but sufficiently different to be regarded as new one. It is growing on decomposed granites - very coarse and wet gravel at so low altitude and so close to sea level that in heavy storm they certainly receive salt-water showers.
Most surprising is its blooming time. All records from higher altitudes (500-600 m) are from January. Here only at 5 m altitude it is at culmination of blooming at start of March. Is it influence of cold sea water?
I collect two specimens for type herbarium, three for DNA research and 3 for myself - looking for variability and thinking about first seed crop in home. Some are with black connectives approximating it to C. stridii growing in same district of Greece, but leaf features are different. From biflorus it can be separated by leaf and flower features.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

So trip was successful. We return to Monastery and are calling for taxi which brings us back to Karyes. Now remain to hope that to morrow will be ferry back to Ouranopolis. But now is time for Champagne. In any case we have two days in reserve.
Janis

[Ian Y]

Great storey about your trip Janis, I look forward to the next instalment.

Thanks for sharing.

[Janis Ruksans]

Great storey about your trip Janis, I look forward to the next instalment.

Thanks for sharing.

Tomorrow. Today tired with naming, resaizing, writing... Still left Crocuses in N Macedonia - 4 species.
Janis

[Rob]

Great thread, I love seeing plants in the wild and hearing of peoples travel experiences.

[pehe]

Janis, thank you for this great travel report!
I have been looking forward to read about your trip since you announced some time ago that you were going to Greece looking for crocus. And what a trip - lot of exciting Greek culture and not the least findings of a new crocus, congratulations!

Poul

[Janis Ruksans]

Thank you for compliments! I'm in hurry to finish report, as after few days I again will have backpack on my shoulders and again will be in mountains to watch crocuses.

Next day again is quiet and ferry comes to pick up monks, pilgrims and simple workers and such visitors as we. In attached pictures some people pictured in Daphni and on ferry. I don’t think that it is my last visit to Athos. Next spring I must go again, a little later. There still is another one crocus waiting on slopes of Holy Mount, but it is growing much higher and so this time was too early for it. After 2 hours we are in Ouranopolis, pick up our car and turn to North. I want to see Crocus alexandrii in nature. I have it in my collection and I have a lot of seedlings from wild collected seeds (my Australian friend generously shared with me his seed gatherings), but never saw it blooming in nature. At present most difficult is to find hotel - there are hundreds of them, but we are out of season and only very few are working. Fortunately at our lunch “taverna” owner calls his friend - hotel owner, who wait us on roadside showing road to our sleeping place. Comparing with Karyes “guest house” it is very luxurious although for same 30,- Euro per night.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Weather changes every day. Yesterday was hot, today again cool and mountain tops in clouds. We turn to Drama and further to Bulgarian border. This huge Monument of lion was built up at burying place of one of Admirals of Alexander The Great (Alexander of Macedonia).
Entering real mountains we spot on roadside yellow dots - crocuses are blooming. From distance they look as chrysanthus and we stop only in some distance from Granitis. Closer view shows that it has wide leaves and first opened flower confirms that it is Crocus olivieri. It is now in full bloom. Vaclav spots fantastic mutation with creamy flowers and kindly presents this one abnormality to me.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Flowering of olivieri seems that at this altitude could be too late for biflorus crocuses. And it really is so - we found some alexandrii here, but very few and mostly with damaged, old flowers. Nice pleasure is to see fabulous Pulsatilla at very start, although it is not bulb.
Janis