Crocus - July 08 SH

[Paul T]

Some Crocus that are flowering here at the moment.....

The first of the tommies have started this week, which is a bit earlier than usual.  Also flowering now are Crocus corsicus which is a favourite species of mine.  I just love the markings.  I've posted a pic showing a bit more of the clump in my crocus garden thread.  And lastly an unknown yellow, which I think someone identified for me last year.  Lovely pure golden splash of sunshine! 

Enjoy.

[tonyg]

First impressions is C flavus for the yellow one.  The anthers are quite distinctive.

[Paul T]

It's probably one of the hybrids like Yellow Mammoth or something like that I'd hazard.  I haven't had flavus in many years, so if it IS that, then it came in as something else.   Always possible of course.  This was probably a bulb I had left over when repotting at some point, i.e I found it in the mix after sorting everything, so didn't know what it was and then put it into one of the big tubs where it didn't matter but could be enjoyed.  It is quite a large flower, and for some reason I thought, perhaps incorrectly, that flavus were small?

[Paul T]

Here's a couple of today's flowers.  The 'Crocus sieberi 'Violet Queen' was open in the sun but the sieberi ssp sieberi was closed at the time.  later on when I checked I could see it had been open but was closing as the sun had gone off it.  A shame as tomorrow may be cloudy and drizzling and if so it won't open.  The ssp sieberi came as a surprise in a package from Otto over the summer.  Apparently I had commented how nice it was when he posted pictures of it last year (the normal ssp sieberi we get here is this wishy washy thing that is OK, but nothing to write home about) so he filed it away in memory and sent me one in summer.  I couldn't remember it at all at the time, and didn't go looking it up so that it would be a surprise when it flowered..... it's a real beauty!!  VERY pleased to have such a nice form, and I haven't even seen it actually open as yet.   Thanks Otto!!!!!! 

[tonyg]

It's probably one of the hybrids like Yellow Mammoth or something like that I'd hazard.  I haven't had flavus in many years, so if it IS that, then it came in as something else.   It is quite a large flower, and for some reason I thought, perhaps incorrectly, that flavus were small?

True C flavus are certainly smaller than Yellow Mammoth and have a more starry shape.  You are probably right in your choice of name

[Paul T]

Tony,

It was only a rough guess, as I know I have had that before.  It is definitely a large flower, not a small one.  Larger than the chrysanthus types, but smaller than the big vernus like 'Pickwick' etc.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great show Paul !  Mouthwatering C. Sieberi !!!! 

[Lesley Cox]

Deeply frustrating weather here, means that many crocuses and now reticulate irises are failing to open. More than a week of rain, drizzle, fog with snow at intervals, winds and general beastliness, with day temps to about 6 or 7C. 'Katharine Hodgkin' has a dozen flowers trying to open and I have 9(!!!) yellow buds on I. danfordiae which are just candle-flame shape, can't get any further. I'm afraid they may all rot as the forecast is for more days of the same. Never known a winter like this one.  The I. danfordiae are from a local garden centre, 3rd attempt. Ist year they were 'Harmony', last year not one came up, all rotted and this year I have all these buds but still may not see them open. Crocus danfordiae and others are going the same way.

[Paul T]

Bummer, Lesley!!  Not fun at all.  You're well ahead of us here, with virtually no signs of buds on the retics as yet.  Only just had leaves up this last couple of weeks.  I expect much better flowering next year anyway, after they've had a year in the garden with better spring insulation.  Trying to have some sun peep out here at the moment, so might still get that lovely form from Otto to open and photograph it today.  Good luck with yours.  Congrats on the danfordiae..... they just divide constantly here, never flowering.  Another thing I am hoping will benefit from the insulation in the crocus garden.  Would be lovely to actually have some flowers on them after all these years.

[Paul T]

A couple of pics of the Crocus sieberi ssp sieberi, that opened today.  The contrasts are just glorious, particularly in the sunshine.

[Magnar]

What fantastic colours,, that is a Crocus I have to look for.

[Paul T]

Magnar,

It's only it's first year here with me, so I would be doubting I'd have any to spare at the end of this season..... but if any seed sets you're welcome to it?  Can't guarantee if it will be true or not, but possibly worth a try?  You'll have to remind me though.  Bear in mind that that subspecies is quite variable.  The others I have of it (the "usual" one here in Aus) are much paler washed on the outside, nowhere near as striking as this one.  Good flowerers though, which makes them a pleasure in themselves.  Just not quite on par with this one. 

[Lesley Cox]

A little pic of a little crocus, C. danfordiae. I had it bring it into the house for a day's warmth to make it open. The label is 19mm wide, the crocus a little bit less!

[matoutdoors]

Paul....

I think Crocus sieberi ssp sieberi is one of the nicest of all the species. Interesting that its flowering for you now..... Mine are WAY gone. Its the very first of the sieberi ssp to flower for me. The last is, sieberi tricolor.
I saw it amongst the snow melt in the white mountains of Crete some years ago. Very beautiful.
Be warned.... it isnt long lived in cultivation. Perhaps 3-4 years and it seems to dwindle away. Raise it from seed if you can. It also likes it a little drier in summer than the other ssp of sieberi. Its a relatively easy one for us aussies.... altho it isnt considered very hardy in the colder areas of Europe and North America.
I have used it as a parent with tricolor for some seedlings. Which are similar markings ot tricolor,,,, but much richer in the purple and yellow. Plus also a LOT larger than both the parents.

Lesley..  noticed your post earlier on Crocus chrysanthus "Zwanenberg Bronze" I had the same issue. All the times i ordered it from suppliers it was something totaly different. I was very happy that the plant from Marcus finaly was true to type. PHEW!!



 

[Paul T]

Mat,

I find that the usual form we have here in Aus (or that I've seen anyway) is too washed out for my liking.  As a clump it looks great, but as individual flowers they're a bit insipid, or they have been when flowering here in Canberra anyway.  I have seen here on the SRGC forums others posting pics overseas of much better forms, which is where I found out that there WERE better forms, and then Otto's posting of his.  So much better. 

I didn't realise that they were short lived.  I've had mine for more than 10 years with ups and downs in population over that time, but I rarely get seed set on any of my crocus unless I hand pollinate (the exceptions being laeviagatus and tommasinianus).  I'll have to try hand pollinating some of these and see what happens.  The otehr probably I have is that most of mine were bought as a single bulb, so they are all the one clone, which so often minimises seed production anyway.

Your hybrids sound lovely.  I don't suppose you have pictures you can post?  Or send them to me and I'll prepare and post them for you if you'd like?

I'll have to keep an eye on the normal ssp siberi I have and see what they're doing this year.  I think they're on the way back up from dwindling a couple of years ago, but they do seem to cycle.  maybe I somehow managed to pull them through with my neglect while I was sick?    Thanks for the info.  Always good to learn something knew.