Crocus January 2014

[Steve Garvie]

From outside it didn't look as aerius, inside - so, so... I leave to make decision by yourself. Variability is so great for to show you it I selected 9 pictures of Crocus aerius made by me in wild and one from my collection. Of course not from this spring. By the way - it is not the earliest of annulate crocuses to bloom. But it only confirms how difficult is job done by Helmut Kerndorff and Erich Pasche researching crocuses of this group. They allways accented that it is almost impossible to identificate crocuses by pictures.
To show those pictures two entries are needed.
Janis

Wow!!!
Amazing variation in this crocus, some with very attractive flowers!
I think mine falls within the variation of this species.

[Cyril L]

I did not know there is such great variation in Crocus aerius.  This is where the appearance of the bulbs tunics come useful.  I like the ones with many stripes.

[Janis Ruksans]

Wow!!!
Amazing variation in this crocus, some with very attractive flowers!
I think mine falls within the variation of this species.

I'm still afraid that it is not true. Flower segments are too narrow and lacking of very characteristic  sharply defined  dark blotch on petals outside base which is present in all colour variants from white to deep purple raise great doubt. Under name of aerius is quite often distributed other species and some hybrids. Certainly you must check corm tunics at replanting.
Janis

[Steve Garvie]

I'm still afraid that it is not true. Flower segments are too narrow and lacking of very characteristic  sharply defined  dark blotch on petals outside base which is present in all colour variants from white to deep purple raise great doubt. Under name of aerius is quite often distributed other species and some hybrids. Certainly you must check corm tunics at replanting.
Janis

Janis,
What should I look for in the corms when re-planting?

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis,
What should I look for in the corms when re-planting?

Although Crocus aerius by system of B. Mathew belongs to biflorus group its tunics are without basal rings and split in fibers as you can see on attached picture.

[Steve Garvie]

Although Crocus aerius by system of B. Mathew belongs to biflorus group its tunics are without basal rings and split in fibers as you can see on attached picture.

Many thanks!
I will bookmark this and then check once the corms go dormant.

[ferdinand]

Somewhat late sending the photo of C. minimus. A little surprised, I discovered a flower on January 12. I took the photo today. I have my crocuses in the pots throughout this winter outside, because it is unseasonably warm weather. The minimum temperatures were between -3.5 and 6 degrees C. (data from my own thermometer) from November 29 to January 11. It was freezing only 13 days in this period, mostly at night. Unfortunately, it's also a little sunshine, so the flower was opened only one day.

[Cyril L]

Rather lanky Crocus dalmaticus (such poor light in January) showing variously marked purple and creamy outer petals.

Crocus leichtlinii grown from J Archibald seeds, JJA 347501.  The flowers seem smaller than in previous years but of several seedlings this one has flowers of a better blue.

[Cyril L]

Crocus biflorus pseudonubigena, collected 25 km W of Gazientep.  I would have liked it better if the anthers were more black.

[Maggi Young]

Nice Cyril - I've added the Crocus leichtlinii JJA 347501 to the Archibald pages.

[Cyril L]

Thanks Maggi.

[Matt T]

Crocus leichtlinii grown from J Archibald seeds, JJA 347501.

A beautiful plant Cyril. Very satisfying to see something so gorgeous from seed you've sown.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Very interesting plants and discussions ! Very useful.
Yes Cyril , I go for the black anthers to .....

1/ Here my biflorus ssp. nubigena (from Janis) keep going. It is already the third time he start to flower this month ! And  new flowers  (the fourth time) are ready to take over.   

2/ The Samos clone is new here and it is his first year flowering.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Rather lanky Crocus dalmaticus (such poor light in January) showing variously marked purple and creamy outer petals.

Same problem here with C. hittiticus and baytopiorum Cyril . C. fleisheri is also stil in flower. 

[Maggi Young]

.......... It is already the third time he start to flower this month ! And  new flowers  (the fourth time) are ready to take over.   

  This is one of the things that attracts me to Crocus- the number of flowers you get  over a period - I may be greedy, but I LOVE that!