Crocus, September, 2013

[Janis Ruksans]

Very strange year. We had the first night frost this morning but now outside is so hot that I went inside house, can't work more. Just finished replanting of Erythroniums and wanted to start Corydalis, but it is far too hot.
Cold nights finally encouraged crocuses to blooming and the best present for my birthday 5th of September was Crocus scharojanii flavus finally opening flowers, but I pictured it only today - early morning and again few hours ago. It is first time when I got perfect colours of this beauty.
Very interesting is this form of Crocus suworovianus collected by Arnis and Gerben over Altiparmak in NE Turkey. They both went up in mountains to snow line with tend and passed there night whilst I and Henrik enjoyed cans with frozen bear on small villages hotel's balcony - temperature was over 30 C.
Very beautiful is Crocus vallicola from N Caucas - this one was collected by Henrik in Krasnodar district a pair of years ago.
Crocus gilanicus from Gothenburg BG this year formed very small flowers, usually it is larger. This is white form, lilac forms still are under ground.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Another surprise is very early blooming of Crocus caspius. This sample I got in 2012 and it travelled here from Australia, from Otto Fauser. May be early blooming is caused by change of seasons - in any case it's acclimatisation was surprisingly good. It comes from original collection of Paul Furse and I put here 4 pictures of it. Note black midrib of anthers in one specimen.
Last picture for today is legendary Crocus autranii. It still is growing in Abchasia and was observed there by my friend Dima from Ukraine.
Janis

[Maggi Young]

A few days late but we send best wishes for many happy returns of your birthday, Janis.

Wonderful crocus and how exciting to see the Paul Furse   C. caspius, from Otto. I don't know if you are aware, but Otto is in hospital at the moment - he is in good spirit though and will be home soon, we hope.

[Rimmer de Vries]

The Crocus scharojanii flavus morning picture is like candles on a birthday cake.
happy birthday Janis!

[Janis Ruksans]

A few days late but we send best wishes for many happy returns of your birthday, Janis.

Wonderful crocus and how exciting to see the Paul Furse   C. caspius, from Otto. I don't know if you are aware, but Otto is in hospital at the moment - he is in good spirit though and will be home soon, we hope.

Thank you, Maggie, but I tired too much. Far too great ammount. Must decrease a lot, but I don't know how.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Few more crocuses
Crocus speciosus from Crimea - Tschatir Dag - very early runner
Crocus hadriaticus - nice pure white from Mnt. Parnasos, Greece got by wish of Jim Archibald
and last - nice form of Crocus damascenus (or cancellatus subsp. damascenus)
Janis

[pehe]

Janis, nice to see that the crocus are celebrating your birthday with their beautiful flowers. Best wishes from me too!

Poul

[pehe]

Some crocus from the last 3 days

1. Crocus cappadocicus
2. C. cappadocicus
3. Crocus suworovianus form 1 (+ cappadocicus)
4. C. suworovianus form 1

[pehe]

Some more

1. Crocus suworovianus form2
2. C. suworovianus form2
3. Crocus suworovianus var. lilacinus
4. C. suworovianus var. lilacinus

[pehe]

And finally

1. Crocus autranii
2. C. autranii
3. C. autranii

All of them growing in either an open frame or under glass. In the open garden Crocus banaticus and Crocus nudiflorus follow soon

Poul

[Maggi Young]

Poul, Janis :  fantastic crocus - they are a joy to start the season aren't they?

[Rimmer de Vries]

All of them growing in either an open frame or under glass. In the open garden Crocus banaticus and Crocus nudiflorus follow soon

Poul

Hi Poul can you show overall photos of your open frame design?

[Janis Ruksans]

We had few cloudy although still warm days but crocus flowers were closed. Today again appeared sun and gave opportunity for pollination and for pictures. So will follow some entries with current pictures.
Seedling of Crocus boryi was the first of this beautiful species blooming today
Then follow some cancellatus - the first two are from Turkey, the last two are from Greek Islands (Samos) - note the deep yellow throat - the deepest yellow in my collection
BATM-383 is the smallest, very miniature but in same time nice flowers. Unfortunately there is mistake in numbering, so I don't know exact locality - must go back in planting books.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Few more cancellatus - RUDA-061 is one of the best forms. It comes from Turkey, Topuz pass.
SASA-022 is white and it comes from joint trip of Arnis+Norman Stevens+Jim to Turkey.
Crocus pallasii JJJ-016 from Turkey - not far from Antalya
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Three more affinities of cancellatus - most likely must be regarded as species - Crocus damascenus - two are from Iran - WHIR collected by me, another by leading Allium specialist Reinhardt Fritsch
and the third comes from Turkey, Kubbe gec.
Then Crocus hadriaticus from Mnt. Parnassos in Greece
and the last in this entry is Crocus serotinus
Janis