Crocus March 2008

[tonyg]

Does anyone know if there is a UK supplier for C. sieberi 'Hubert Edelsten' please?

I have seen it offered in Garden Centres (I think it was in Unwins 'Speciality' range).  However I have also seen that sometimes the corms were not C sieberi but a biflorus type which I also saw exhibited at a Show with the name H Edelsten (wrongly) attached.
I think most of the UK suppliers will be sourcing their material from Holland, certainly this will be true of anyone supplying large numbers relatively cheaply.  Do not despair though, there is correctly named stock about but given the nature of things its 'buyer beware'.

[Gerry Webster]

Does anyone know if there is a UK supplier for C. sieberi 'Hubert Edelsten' please?

David, Roseholme Nursery (access via RHS Plantfinder) lists it though it's not clear whether they offer it every year. They don't have a website.

Gerry, Thanks for that-have I got the spelling wrong because I had done a search for it in RHS Plantfinder and nothing showed up?

David, My apologies. My information was misleading. Go to RHS Nursery Finder, enter 'Roseholme' then 'details'. You can then access the nursery list. I've just done this & Hubert Edelsten is still listed. They list a lot of crocus (presumably imported) but I've never bought from them so have no idea of the quality of their plants.

[Boyed]

Crocus vernus 'Vanguard' blooming under glass in quarantine area isolated from insects. My new bulbs are not planted in the garden until I make sure they are 100% healthy and free from viruses.

I ontain this cultivar the forth time, but, unfortunately, this stock also is going to be garbaged.

[Boyed]

Leaf mosaic symptoms on crocus vernus hybrids (in this case it is 'Negro Boy')

[Andrew]

Roseholme Nursery list a lot of crocus (presumably imported) but I've never bought from them so have no idea of the quality of their plants.

Has anyone had any plants from them in the last couple of years. They respond to emails but have not been doing mail order. I was trying to arrange a visit, when I was in the area but they were not going to be there !!

I'll try again this year.

[David Nicholson]

Roseholme Nursery list a lot of crocus (presumably imported) but I've never bought from them so have no idea of the quality of their plants.

Has anyone had any plants from them in the last couple of years. They respond to emails but have not been doing mail order. I was trying to arrange a visit, when I was in the area but they were not going to be there !!

I'll try again this year.

Andrew, if you do go to Roseholme, and they happen to have some Hubert Edelsten, would you be prepared to get me three corms and send them on to me, obviously I would refund all your costs? I don't really want to place a bulk order with them and it wouldn't be very cost effective just to order three corms taking into account their likely postal charges.

[Andrew]

Andrew, if you do go to Roseholme, and they happen to have some Hubert Edelsten, would you be prepared to get me three corms.

No problem David.

[Armin]

Zhirair,
nice C. vernus "Vanguard".
It is a pity it carries so often mosaic virus.
Thanks for the close virused leaves pix.

My crocus blossom is going over quickly. Today we had a hale storm accelerating the withering

P.S: For those who are interested I've posted more hale storm impressions in the "General forum" -> "Weather2008"

[mark smyth]

so they were open when the hail hit?! You must have had some sunny spells today. We were quite warm again c10C

[Armin]

Mark,
no sunshine today. The combination of hale and strong wind tattered the crocus flowers, many buds fell over.
It's a pity

[HClase]

We are still months behind the rest of you over here.  Sheila's Brush is a Newfoundland folk name for what is supposed to be the last snowstorm of the winter (brushing winter away) on or around St Patrick's Day.  This year they are calling it "Sheila's industrial vacuum cleaner" - 3 storms in 5 days ending on 17th with one supposed to be 40 cm, but with so much wind I don't know how they measured it.  The back of the house was up to the eaves, but my frame was blown almost clear, and continues to give premonitions of spring. 

C. corsicus is one of my favorites, and has survived at least 20 years outside, but oddly its close relative C. minimus, which is supposed to grow at higher altitudes, never lasts more than a couple of seasons.  I've a pot labeled "lost corms" - one is clearly 'H. edelsten' David so if all else fails let me know - there should be more outside in 6 weeks or so.  There's another I will post for ID when I can get a good shot.

After the snow we had a day of freezing rain.  Now it's slowly thawing again.

[Maggi Young]

That is some wild weather you've been having Howard!  We woke to some snow today but had a drive to Dunblane on  clear roads, with only one snow shower en route... plenty of snow to be seen in the fields and more on the distant hills, but nothing like yours, I'm glad to say.
Your photo of the ice covered Amelanchier is lovely.... such a complicated tracery of twigs, encased in the ice  ..... I hope you weren't in the same condtion when you returned indoors after taking the shot!

[mark smyth]

Here's a late one from me. Unknown source and maybe someone can positive ID it. C. veluchensis 'Alba'

[HClase]

Maggie,

I took it out of the window!

[tonyg]

It could be Mark but impossible to be sure from flower alone.  Check the corm tunic, if it is reticulated fibrous (like C sieberi but not as netted) then you have C veluchensis.  If fibrous but not netted it is probably C vernus (a bit late season for C tommasininus)