Crocus Year 2021

[Janis Ruksans]

Today finished repotting of annulate crocuses, left only selected clones of hybrids between C. concinnus and C. gembosii. They grew well. Very interesting - the last species from this type of crocuses replanted were species with yellow flowers - quite recently all in general regarded as C. chrysanthus. So this allowed to compare C. chrysanthus sensu lato from Europe (Balcans) with those from Turkey. All European without exception dislike this season and formed small corms, all Turkish - grew perfectly. This is another feature confirming that Balcan and Turkish "chrysanthus" belong to different groups. And there are differences between Greek "chrysanthus", too - some has thin, papery tunics whilst from other localities tunic was hard, even woody.
Now I stopped harvesting and re-potting of crocuses and tomorrow will pot autumn blooming Colchicums. Some already formed long shoots and urgently must be potted. nd still must to harvest several hundred pots with Tulipa species before returning to crocuses. The first in line will be autumn bloomers. Most grew very well, but species from "speciosus" group and goulimyi made tiny corms and I almost lost nerimaniae and wattiorum. But in general I'm very satisfied - never before remember so healthy looking corms. Very few died and in general were damaged by some worm.

[Yann]

autumn bulbs are quite ahead this year, goulimyi is already blooming in my garden!

[Janis Ruksans]

With me something late - C. scharojanii flavus only showed short tips. I'm still harvesting and repotting. Some species started forming of roots as small knots at base, but no real roots already seen. Growing very strange - some species excellent, some quite poor. I didn't include C. mathewii in my current offer due poor crop last year - but this year incredibly good harvest. In pictured pot (12x12x20 cm) were placed 5 medium sized corms and on picture you can see what I harvested. Crocus nudiflorus was included but crop was so poor, that I with great difficulties collected requested number of saleable corms. Important is pH of soil. Spain species and some other needs very acid substrate with pH 5-5.5 (I checked this in  wild). Last autumn I potted 5 corms of Crocus clusii adding label "very poor, may be died", planted in very peaty soil with pH 5.0 and harvested huge very healthy corms! The first bloomed Crocus suworovianus. Overlooked pot with C. suworovianus harvested only today had very long shoots.

[Janis Ruksans]

Repotting of autumn crocuses approximates to finish. More than 3000 pots are repotted. Yesterday finished with "cancellatus" group. And there are several observations - Greek forms (C. mazziaricus) has short shoots, then in West and Central Turkey, shoots are already long and very long. Exception is C. lycius. Then forms from Syria, Israel again has short shoots, but those from Jordan - long. As I wrote before, regardless of difficult growing conditions, corms are surprisingly good and healthy. Exception is Crocus damascenus. There are a lot of losses and corms are small. But in all others repotted to this moment losses are surprisingly minor.
On pictures - huge corms of C. hatayensis - only 9 placeable in 15x15 cm large pot
Crocus scharojanii flavus - really more yellow than on picture, never succeed to get true shade on picture.
Crocus vallicola from N Caucasus, originally collected by Dima

[StevenS]

First Crocus to flower this year here in Amsterdam is C. Damascenus BATM-351
There is some variability within this collection as one has lighter flowers with both yellow anthers and stigma, the second (just opening) flower has darker veining and a more orange stigma.

[Janis Ruksans]

With cooling more and more crocuses open flowers

[Janis Ruksans]

Some pictures from this extremely windy, cool but sunny day:
At first - three forms of Crocus gilanicus from Iran
and 2 pictures of hybrid between Crocus scharojanii var flavus and C. scharojanii raised and shared with me by Poul Erik. Greatest thanks for this beauty! Sorry, just got mail frpm Poul Erik - correct parentage is Turkish Crocus vallicola crossed with C. scharojanii.

[Lesley Cox]

I haven't been here for a while, as shown by the fact I'm looking at page 6 of Crocus year 202i. I've been in and out of hospital, and with other bad things happening, it's been a horrid year so far BUT the superb photos by Janis Ruksans of his outstanding Crocus species and hybrids are enough to turn anyone's horrid year into a glorious one. What a joy they all are! Thank you Janis for taking and sharing the photos and Maggi for placing them here. They are all truly superb.
They have the slightly unfortunate effect though of making me feel deeply dissatisfied with my own smaller and rather inferior colleection.

[Janis Ruksans]

I haven't been here for a while, as shown by the fact I'm looking at page 6 of Crocus year 202i. I've been in and out of hospital, and with other bad things happening, it's been a horrid year so far BUT the superb photos by Janis Ruksans of his outstanding Crocus species and hybrids are enough to turn anyone's horrid year into a glorious one. What a joy they all are! Thank you Janis for taking and sharing the photos and Maggi for placing them here. They are all truly superb.
They have the slightly unfortunate effect though of making me feel deeply dissatisfied with my own smaller and rather inferior colleection.

Thank you, Leslie. I wish you good recovering and healthy future!

[Janis Ruksans]

Some more crocuses from yesterday

[Janis Ruksans]

Some crocuses from yesterday:
One of the best selections from typical Crocus speciosus named 'Blue Web'
Crocus bolensis albus flower with additional flower segments from heights over Lake Abant, Turkey
Crocus brachyphylus - Turkey, N of Akseki. One of my first new species described and published under name C. elegans, but I then was only newcomer in taxonomy, so name given by me was rejected and used this one, although it is one of the most elegant species in Crocus speciosus group.
White form of Crocus pallasii from its locus classicus in Crimea (Ukraine), at present occupied and militarized by "peaceful" Russia.
Typical Crocus pallasii from Crimea, Ukraine.

[Ophrys]

Crocus armeniensis was flowering the last days.

[Janis Ruksans]

Miore and more crocuses blooms in those sunny days

[Janis Ruksans]

Some more from last sunny days

[Janis Ruksans]

My favourites in autumn are white blooming forms
Number one in my list is this white C. cartwrightianus from Naxos Island Greece (2 pictures)
On the third picture white seedling of Crocus mathewii - could be hybrid?
But last two pictures shows amazing colour form of Crocus pumilus from crete. This year especially deeply yellow toned, unfortunately during blooming it whitens...