Crocus November 2018

[Catwheazle]

Hello,
I know it is very difficult, but I hope that the possibilities are not too many.
For several years there is a crocus in my garden, which always begins to grow in October.
Possibly a plant from SRGC seeds, which seems to inncrease and multiply slowly.
Unfortunately it has never flowered, even in spring.
What kind could it be? What can I do to make it blossom next year? (The picture is from today)
thx and greetings
Bernd

[tonyg]

Hello,
I know it is very difficult, but I hope that the possibilities are not too many.
For several years there is a crocus in my garden, which always begins to grow in October.
Possibly a plant from SRGC seeds, which seems to inncrease and multiply slowly.
Unfortunately it has never flowered, even in spring.
What kind could it be? What can I do to make it blossom next year? (The picture is from today)
thx and greetings
Bernd
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)

Looks like a cluster of seedlings.  Must be an autumn lowering species with this much leaf now.  There are a number of possibilities so it is difficult to say which species.  What can you do?  Maybe give some feed, as it's in the garden maybe a granular or powdered feed to be washed down by rain.  Sulphate of potash later in the growing season should help towards flowering.  If it's been there for some years, maybe you should consider moving them, best done when dormant.  More sunny place, drier place?  I don't know but you can consider somewhere in the garden slightly different conditions perhaps?

[Catwheazle]

My C. banaticus are already faded, but they do not have any leaves yet.
Maybe it is possible to narrow down the possible species?

Bernd

Addendum: I've looked through the Crokus pictures here from October, where the leaves are present (there are many more than I thought) and then looked at my old lists. I think it could be Crocus niveus.
I also donated a little fertilizer. Now I only have to wait another year :-(

[Janis Ruksans]

Yesterday only 3 crocuses were pictured. Still cartwrightianus from Naxos continue to surprise - Yesterday I photographed 8th and 9th flowers (attached here) but today 10th bud showed nose out. There are 2 shoots from this corm, but it is almost incredible.
Another "yellow" bud comes out from Crocus pumilus. This is the darkest yellow ever seen in autumn (out of scharojanii and lazicus), pity, when flower will open it will pale.
And last two pictures - the darkest goulimyi in my collection.

[Janis Ruksans]

Few pictures from last week:
Another slightly yellowish C. pumilus - stock from Antoine Hoog
And then 3 pictures of Crocus robertianus from different places

[Janis Ruksans]

Now last pictures from my reserve, not shown before - all are blue coloured autumn species.
Still last "speciosus" are blooming - here sakariensis
Crocus salzmannii 15PTGS-031 from Portugal is one of the latest. Surprised by its blooming because it didn't grow well last season, corms were small.
Separating of serotinus group species isn't easy - here type of Crocus serotinus serotinus from Cabo de Sao Vincence, collected for me by my English friend.
And as last - Crocus thomasii 15ITS-006 from Italy (continental part).
When will come next pictures - I have no idea - depends from weather - temperature and sun. Some from Middle East still not started blooming, but in general my autumn crocus season approximates to end.

[Maggi Young]

349.821 : CROCUS PALLASII (subsp pallasii) * Ukraine, Krim, Kaya-Bash heights, 300m.

  Seeds from: Jenny Archibald EXCLUSIVE SEEDS : JANUARY 2011
  Sowing: Dec. 2011
  Pictures: 2nd Nov. 2018

345.212 : CROCUS GOULIMYI from SELECTED VARIANTS * Greece, Lakonia, N of Areopoli. (From several clones selected in the wild : scented, deeply coloured, bicoloured and ‘white stigma’ forms.)

Sowing: Oct 2009
First flowering: Nov 2011
Pictures: 4 Nov 2018

[Janis Ruksans]

Yesterday visited my greenhouse - to give some rest for my eyes due sitting all the day at computer, registering notes made during season. There will be several new species sometimes published, easy separable from related plants.
Mostly was surprised for still abundant blooming of Crocus xantholaimos. So I start with it and some others from speciosus group. All were shown before, but they are last flowers giving some "milestones" showing blooming time and its length.
Next is the last flower of Crocus archibaldiorum, showing its characteristic outside striping. Today again starts warmer period and may be it will open.
Crocus hellenicus from Varnakovo belongs to the latest from speciosus group.
The last in this entry - still unidentified from Iran, growing halfway between C. archibaldiorum and C. zubovii.

[Janis Ruksans]

Next 3 pictures shows C. pulchellus from Chios Island - the first two are those which were collected with some hope that may be will be "biflorus" of Saliaris, as were collected just at spots where he mentioned them. The third is from my first trip to this island.
Last two pictures represent beautiful form of Turkish pallasii, presented to me by my friend Vaclev Jost. Unfortunately he didn't marked from where it comes... so not very great botanical value in my collection apart of exceptional beauty, for which I'm very thankful to him.

[Janis Ruksans]

The last entry and last pictures from yesterday. Still some crocuses not started blooming, between them very late C. moabiticus. I wait for its flowers coming out to bring it into room for pollinating. Almost always it blooms in so dark, cool, moist period that flowers in greenhouse not open.
But now I start with another pallasii. Many years ago I tried to cross C. pallasii from Chios Island, which most likely is different species, as pollen parent (I Used clone 'Homeri' with black anthers) with form of pallasii s.l. from W Turkey, from near Labranda which is one of the most beautiful pallasii s.l. Here you can see that one of seedlings inherited black colour from Chios sample.
The next represents tiny late bloomer - Crocus veneris. Small but nice crocus from Cyprus.
I already showed mine deepest purple C. goulimyi, now its flowers are more open. Crocus goulimyi almost finished here - very few flowers still left.
And last two are Crocus cartwrightianus cretense - the first I got from Jim Archibald, the second from Erich Pasche. I'm not genetic and I still didn't understand - are this different from other cartwrightianus or not. If I understood correctly last publication about phylogeny of C. sativus group, genetically it is quite variable species and one plant from Crete turned very close to C. sativus. But earlier several times showed yellowish form from Naxos continue surprise me - now it showed 11th flower from the same corm.

[Janis Ruksans]

All the day is cloudy with some drops of water in the air. I lost last hopes to see some sun shining regardless of weather broadcasts during all passed week. So today left only to clean off old flowers. Still blooms some species - niveus, serotinus, some pallasii forms, goulimyi,. robertianus, very last of tournefortii, sakariensis and xantholaimos. Still is blooming yellowish cartwrightianus from Naxos Island - now the 13th flower bud comes out! At least they opens even in such weather and stay open all the time. In full bloom are melantherus, laevigatus and pumilus, but their flowers dies remaining without opening - weather is so wet and dark.
I don't like bringing pots inside. Single exception is necessity to make controlled pollination. So today I did this with two species. One of them was Crocus hyemalis (pictures of it here). Of course - I used occasion to make some pictures. Immediately after opening, pollination, pots were brought outside, pictured and after photo-session brought back to greenhouse. Even my cat came to check, what I'm doing, but seeing that there are no mice for her, went back to her house.

[Janis Ruksans]

The second species brought inside for a pair of hours was Crocus moabiticus. Last autumn it didn't open at all, so now, seeing well developed buds, I brought in 2 samples of it and after opening of flowers maid cross pollination between both. After that pots were returned to greenhouse. Now at least I hope to get some seeds.
Tomorrow will do the same with some pumilus, veneris and aleppicus pots.

[Yann]

definitely a jewel 

[Janis Ruksans]

May be following are the last pictures of this year. Weather still very dark and no lighter hours offered, only slow dropping of temperature during following 2 weeks up to minus 1-2 C.
Today I brought in two more pots to force opening of flowers. For hermoneus it was too late, flowers opened with segments bent down, but marvellous yellow pumilus showed all spectrum of flower colour changes. Of course - during blooming yellow fades and at end disappear at all.
In the last picture red stickers show pots where are crocuses which could be new, still unpublished species. In spring they will receive special attention.

[Yann]

very nice form of pumilus!!