Crocus Year 2021

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus cf. armeniensis Cloudy Sky was found nr. vil. Vahagni by late Zhirair Basmajyan (he was killed by some robber, who came to his summerhouse where Zhirair worked with his bulbs). As Covid not allowed to visit his widow and to pick up his collection - best part of it -, house was sold and all his marvelous collection of historical tulips and wild gatherings were lost).
Another 3 pictures are of Crocus regarded at present as Crocus cf. pallasii , but certainly representing different species.

[Mariette]

Yes, some viruses are damaging many different plants - such is cucumber mosaic virus and some others, too. I was researching those problems some 40 years ago, so not remember much from that time. Distributors - some nematodes living in soil, trips, aphids and others. But now I'm only checking colour of leaves (mosaic), shape and colour of flowers and destroying all suspicious plants,

Thank You, Janis! As I never noticed any aphids or trips interested in my crocus, the disease will be spread soil-born by nematodes. Probably I should sterilise my compost before potting crocus or snowdrops, which offer the same problem.

Still, there are some crocus flowering in the garden.

[Janis Ruksans]

I continue with crocuses from October
Crocus cf. speciosus 16IRS-069 from Iran
Crocus clusii 15PTGS-034 from Portugal - 2 pictures
Crocus damascenus 17IRS-001 from Iran
and from Turkey

[Janis Ruksans]

Now Crocus gilanicus and its F-2 hybrid with C. autranii
Crocus goulimyi New Harlequin
Crocus goulimyi PELOG-004
Hybrid of Crocus hadriaticus (pollen parent unknown) named after my Czech friend as 'Jirka'

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus cf. mazziaricus 14GRS-003 - from Athos peninsula, Greece where it was growing only in splits of rock
Crocus damascenus JJVV-039 -Moca gec, Turkey
and 3 pictures of Crocus hadriaticus from various localities in Greece

[Janis Ruksans]

As last entry today - Crocus hatayensis - it is close to kotschyanus, but has different chromosome number and is growing in borderland between Turkey and Syria. Main feature allowing to identify it in most easy way is forming of leaves in autumn - during blooming or just after. The first 2 pictures are from Erich Pasche and J. Person collections, then 2 from type gathering (RUDA-117) and the last is identical with RUDA-117 but I got it from Dirck Schnabel.

[brianw]

I recently planted 3 different varieties/species in a rough grass area that I only mow in the summer. What I forgot to check was how much sun it would get some weeks later, as they are not far from a tall plum hedge, which only this week is loosing its leaves. Many sad looking half eaten closed flowers so far ;-((((((((((((((((( 2 varieties still to flower. When I planted them that area was in the sun.

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus haussknechtii seedling
Crocus haussknechtii from Iran
Crocus hellenicus from Monodendri, N Greece
Crocus kofudagensis JJJ-024
Crocus kotschyanuis leucopharynx - this form I got from Dirk Schnabel

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus cf. cancellatus RUDA-050 Sertavul gec., Turkey
and Crocus hyemalis - 95-2381 from Jordania and ILOP-015 - from Israel

[Janis Ruksans]

And last today several pictures of Crocus laevigatus from October, but it still is in full bloom and fills greenhouse with wonderful aroma

[Erwinia]

The C. hadriaticus from Peramo looks quite interesting with its extra tepals. Looks as if this is a stable feature?

Thanks a lot again, Janis, for showing these beauties to us!

[Janis Ruksans]

The C. hadriaticus from Peramo looks quite interesting with its extra tepals. Looks as if this is a stable feature?

Thanks a lot again, Janis, for showing these beauties to us!

Unfortunately doubling of flower segments in crocuses are not permanent feature, even so named "double flowering" cultivars (Crocus tommasinianus Eric Smith, mine C. chrysanthus Goldmine) makes semi-double flowers only from very large corms and even then not all and not every year.

[Janis Ruksans]

But now I return to October pictures
Old form of Crocus kotschyanus leucopharynx which I got from Czech grower in Pruhonice - Jiri Obdrjalek
Largest form of Crocus ligusticus from Tavarone, N Italy
Crocus lycius 14TUS-012 - Turkey, W from Antalya
and 2 forms of Crocus longiflorus - most aromatic species - first is my own gathering from S Italy mainland, another from Erich Pasche, collected in Sicily

[Janis Ruksans]

And now Queen (or King) of autumn bloomers - Crocus mathewii

[Janis Ruksans]

Another beauty from Jordan - Crocus moabiticus - usually blooms in December, but now already finished (yesterday last fklower remnants were plucked off.