Crocus October 2014

[ruben]

In flower today, a white form of Crocus oreocreticus in 23 degrees today!! 

[ruben]

I've never seen a white form of oreocreticus before? Can this be correct? Who can ID this plant please.

[Maggi Young]

Would we not expect the style to be darker, and longer for  C. oreocreticus?

[Thomas Huber]

Well, it's true, the Dutch horticulture trade is HUGE- and there will be cases when sellers are only interested in bulk sales of "autumn crocus" or such - but it sounds here like "the Dutch" are ALL being criticised - and that is not fair, I think.

If we learn anything from this is it should be that it is often a good idea to support small growers - and yet, I know even they can make mistakes.

It is rather offensive, though, to make statements which criticise a whole nation, please don't do that.

You're so right Maggi - I'm sorry if my words sound like all Dutch people were bad. Of course we have Cees and Eric Breed from who I ordered many wonderful AND TRUE Crocus........

Can I ask what is the difference between C. speciosus with pale orange style and dark orange style?

Really easy Mark - speciosus with pale orange style have a PALE orange style
and the ones with dark orange style have a DARK orange style 
Maybe you should post a photo....

[Thomas Huber]

I've never seen a white form of oreocreticus before? Can this be correct? Who can ID this plant please.

I thought it could be hadriaticus - but then I noticed, that the leaves are not present at flowering time which would point for oreocreticus, but like Maggi I think they style doesn't fit...... no idea.
Ruben, we need a photo of the corm tunic !

[ruben]

Thomas, Maggi,

On the first picture you can see in the left corner the leaves emerge. So i think hadriaticus could be correct!

[Janis Ruksans]

Yesterday we had sun, but I was away with my wife in far corner of Latvia with publishing house for presentation of last book written by my wife "Garden Magic'. So no crocuses were seen. Today again is cold and cloudy, so only few flowers opened more or less.
Here two pictures - both from same pot where was planted seedlings of Crocus banaticus 'Snowdrift'. As you can see most is blue and only one white. Amazingly - I have 4-5 pots of those seedlings and in each pot blooms one white and others are blue. The white's closely resemble mother plant - Snowdrift.
Then ochroleucus from Israel. For this species it was too cool to open.
And as last - two forms of Crocus tournefortii - the first from Isle of Skiros, the second was kindly sent to me by Rick (where you disappear from Forum, Rik?) few years ago. Different are throat colour.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Here one of Crocus cartwrightianus forms ( P-9430)
Then two forms of Crocus ligusticus from N Italy kindly sent to me by Dirk
Follows partly open Crocus melantherus GOLD - with age yellow colour fades
and as last true Crocus robertianus from near Varnakovo in Greece. As you can see one is almost white. Other albinos this season have slightly bluish shade but form with tricolored flowers (as in Crocus sublimis Tricolor) didn't open sufficiently for picturing.
Next week are offered snowing and dropping of temperature to minus 5 C. We still must to replant aroids and Regelia irises.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Some more this evening:
Crocus hadriaticus seedling selected and named by me as Purple Ace
Crocus ibrahimii from speciosus group - true species and not a hybrid as some of you suppose (confirmed by DNA, too)
Crocus melantherus PELO-028 dark I showed before, too, but here with partly open flowers
Today opened flowers of Crocus nerimaniae but they so long were in tight buds that now are not of best shape
And as last - one of the very best Crocus speciosus cultivars selected by my Lithuanian friend Leonid Bondarenko - Crocus speciosus Blue Web

[Janis Ruksans]

Here some seedlings of Crocus assumaniae - most likely hybrids with closely related, but genetically different Crocus mathewii
Then Crocus damascenus from Kubbe gec. in Turkey
And last in this entry - another from speciosus like Crocuses - Crocus hellenicus from NW Greece
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

And finally last for today
The first is Crocus macedonicus - superficially similar to C. pallasii but distant by DNA - Crocus macedonicus, easy separable by its fewer leaves and very long bristly neck of corm tunics
And after that several forms of Crocus pllasii from Chios Island, Greece, collected at several spots during common trip with Kees Jan.
The last of "pallasii" is from vil. Uskup im Turkey
Janis

[Melvyn Jope]

Crocus mathewii Dream Dancer.

[Yann]

Crocus robertianus
Crocus goulimyi

[tonyg]

Crocus mathewii Dream Dancer.

Perfection - great 'background'.  Still trying to work out if you're growing it out in the open .... or just using authentic top dressing!

Here's one for you

Crocus goulimyi MELJ 96-52 a superb and unusual form.

[Melvyn Jope]

Perfection - great 'background'.  Still trying to work out if you're growing it out in the open .... or just using authentic top dressing!

Here's one for you

Crocus goulimyi MELJ 96-52 a superb and unusual form.

Haha Tony, growing in a pot, background due to excellent guidance from Olga Bondareva!
Glad you like the C.goulimyi....now given the name Agia Sofia