Crocus February 2008

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony, a word of thanks for your messages on Trillium-L pointing out that SRGC website and Forum access is open to all... and for the Dunblane Day plug!

No need for thanks Maggi. I am proud to be a member and would shout it from the roof tops. BTW her indoors is not speaking to me now because of my rant about the cylcamen.

[Maggi Young]

BTW her indoors is not speaking to me now because of my rant about the cylcamen.

Why? You didn't go next door and brain the little twerp, did you?

[Tony Willis]

Anthony a beautiful pelistericus, you are way ahead of me. Its been the only day of sunshine here for weeks and whats left of the crocus have finally opened.I am of to France for a couple of days and may be able to join you and post one of pelistericus when I get back.

[Martin Baxendale]

Here are some more pics of my odd freckly-flowered tommasinianus open wider in the warmth today. You can also see the other smaller strange yellowish-white ones. Usually there are lots of these little ones flowering in a large clump. They're very reluctant to open except in very warm weather, so often stay rolled up with their bright orange stigmas sticking out the top.

When open, they still tend to have their outers rolled and only their inners wid open. I think the freckly one, which is much bigger, is a seedling as it seems to be retaining this character to some extent.

All the leaves look healthy and virus-free. The yellow-white ones have always shown some light purple stippling on the outsides, and I have seedlings popping up around with similar creamy-white flowers and purple stippling.

Might be worth crossing this with some other light-toned toms to see if it's inheritable.

[Martin Baxendale]

Or maybe it is virus.

Rather more lovely, a nice pale form of tommasinianus open wide in the garden today. I'll post some more pics of the toms tomorrow. They're all seedlings from toms given to my parents donkeys years ago by Oliver Wyatt.

I'd post picks of my heuffelianus seedling forms but for some reason I can't get them to photograph nearly as well as the toms, which are really photogenic.

[Maggi Young]

Difficulty is that with crocus there are so many which have assorted stippling which can, in some lights, look exactly like the colouring we tend to get so nervous about in Iris.  I can think of masses of perfectly heralthy crocus whose markings, were they to be found in an Iris, would have most of us slashing and burning like maniacs. Very tricky question, that's for sure.

[art600]

Anthony

How long from seed to flowering?  It is a wonderful flower and beats a lot that I saw in Greece last year - mind you they were growing in a bog through sedge and enjoying temperatures of 33C.

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony a beautiful pelistericus, you are way ahead of me. Its been the only day of sunshine here for weeks and whats left of the crocus have finally opened.I am of to France for a couple of days and may be able to join you and post one of pelistericus when I get back.

Mine is in a pot outside, so I have no idea why it is earlier than yours.

[Anthony Darby]

Anthony

How long from seed to flowering?  It is a wonderful flower and beats a lot that I saw in Greece last year - mind you they were growing in a bog through sedge and enjoying temperatures of 33C.

Three years for first flower, but this is its third season with a flower.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great show everyone ! 
Here's one more from me
Crocus corsicus flowering in a trough - one taken early this morning - the second at noon enjoying full sunshine !

[David Nicholson]

A nice one Luc.

[Armin]

Luc,
beautiful C. corsicus.
Had ordered them last summer the first time.
I'm excited when mine will come into flower.

[Armin]

Here are some more pics of my odd freckly-flowered tommasinianus open wider in the warmth today. You can also see the other smaller strange yellowish-white ones. Usually there are lots of these little ones flowering in a large clump. They're very reluctant to open except in very warm weather, so often stay rolled up with their bright orange stigmas sticking out the top.

When open, they still tend to have their outers rolled and only their inners wid open. I think the freckly one, which is much bigger, is a seedling as it seems to be retaining this character to some extent.

All the leaves look healthy and virus-free. The yellow-white ones have always shown some light purple stippling on the outsides, and I have seedlings popping up around with similar creamy-white flowers and purple stippling.

Might be worth crossing this with some other light-toned toms to see if it's inheritable.

Martin,
I can't judge if they are virused or not. The leaves look indeed normal.
Both tommy forms look different - therfore desirable for the enthusiasts.
Good look for cross pollination!

[Armin]

Here my pixs of today...

We had frost in the last 3 nights. Yesterday and today blue sky with sunshine.
My crocus flower while the soil is frozen 4-5cm down...

[Armin]

more...