Crocus September 2008

[Boyed]

crocus speciosus 'Oxonian' - good colour, but weaker tubes for such a large-sized flowers
crocus speciosus 'Cloudy Sky' - vigorous, large-flowered and tall (up to 25 cm), outer tepals are milky-white from outside, very thick tube, large corms.
sternbergia sicula

[Gerry Webster]

Rob & Lesley -

Thanks for comments. I have no problem flowering other forms of C. niveus. The Marcus Harvey plant (from a UK supplier) was described as either lilac or white from collection made in  the Peloponnese between Tripolis & Sparta. I've had it since 1998 & my patience has finally run out.

[Thomas Huber]

Gerry, have you tried to plant them outside?? It will work or not - better to throw them in the rubbish!

Zhirair, I love your Crocus 'Cloudy Sky', but from your photo it looks
like a crocus with white anthers and yellow throat - also called Crocus pulchellus!

[Boyed]

Thomas,

I remember your last year comments about the colour of the anthers of my crocus speciosus 'Cloudy Sky'. This year I specially paid attention to this aspect and should say that it has creamy anthers. In difference, my crocus speciosus Goris has orange anthers. Anyway, 'Cloudy Sky' doesn't remind me or look like crocus pulchellus at all; and it is even difficult to think about its hybrid origin, as crocus pulchellus doesn't grow in Armenia.

I am waiting for blooming of my crocus speciosus Pambak, which is from the same locality as 'Cloudy Sky', but has uniform colour. As I remember it also should have creamy anthers.

[Paul T]

Zhirair,

Fantastic pics, particularly the 'Mani White' pics.  Stunning flowers!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful flowers Zhirair !
I agree with Paul - the clump of goulimyi "Many White" is a real stunner !!!

[Thomas Huber]

Thomas,

I remember your last year comments about the colour of the anthers of my crocus speciosus 'Cloudy Sky'. This year I specially paid attention to this aspect and should say that it has creamy anthers. In difference, my crocus speciosus Goris has orange anthers. Anyway, 'Cloudy Sky' doesn't remind me or look like crocus pulchellus at all; and it is even difficult to think about its hybrid origin, as crocus pulchellus doesn't grow in Armenia.

Zhirair, I'm with you, 'Cloudy Sky' indeed looks like a true speciosus from flower shape and style. But there are still the two features of creamy/white anthers and yellow throat that generally set a Crocus as pulchellus. Even if C. pulchellus doesn't grow in Armenia according to literature - you know plants don't read these books and it's always possible to find new habitats of plants, not known to botanics before. Did you also observe the throat of your plant? Is it yellow?

In every case your selection is a wonderful plant!!

[Gerry Webster]

crocus goulimyi 'Many White' - superb cultivar, vigorous, abundant bloomer and good increaser

Zhirair - I agree completely with your comments on 'Mani White'. Given its vigour & rate of increase.
many nurseries charge a ridiculously high price for it.

Thomas - my patience is  exhausted - it's for the rubbish.

[Boyed]

Thomas,

I am posting photos of crocus speciosus Goris from the South of the country. I am interested in your opinion about it as well. I hope with this one everything is O.K.

Gerry,
I grwo different forms of crocus goulimyi, and, no doubt, 'Many White' is the best. Besides, it flowers for a  very long period of time, as a single corm produces masses of flowers.

Relating crocus niveus, I think it's better to get rid of it, get a good clone and enjoy it. I grow different forms of this crocus, it is a good spesies, but I must admitt that there are also very unimpressive and not attractive variations among this species, which are not very vigorous, have week tubes and not long lasting. This year I am going to select the best ones and get rid of the other worse forms.

[Boyed]

crocus speciosus Goris

[Thomas Huber]

Wonderful extra-large sized flowers - true speciosus to my eye!!

[Gerard Oud]

I more into snowdrops but i had to buy these to swap for Galanthusses. I kept some for myself and they are very beautiful, but i am not going to start a Crocuscollection.
I bought these as 2 forms from Crocus speciosus Aino.

[Boyed]

Thomas,
I am pleased you liked crocus speciosus Goris. It's right, it is large-flowered and tall, but 'Cludy Sky' is much more vigorous, larger and considerably taller (up to 25 cm), having twise as big corms, stronger tubes and being more floriferous.

Gerard,
Thanks for sharing the pics of crocus speciosus 'Aino'. I would like to ask if your photos clearly reflect its colour. In the descriptions, it is said that 'Aino' has the same dark colour of 'Oxonian', just having stronger tubes; or shortly speaking - it is improved 'Oxonian'.

[Tony Willis]

The C. speciosus goris is very nice.

here are some of mine out today in the first sunshine of the summer.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful pix Tony !  All really good, but that bi-coloured C. speciosus is a real eye-catcher !