Crocus October 2008

[Lvandelft]

Luit, there's an important difference: The strong veining.
The "International Checklist of Hyacints and miscelaneous bulbs" (KAVB 1991)
describes 'Artabir'  as: Light blue with dark veins!
Also Dix describes a strong scent on his old website, which the CC form doesn't have.
Here another photo of the plant where it's visible much better:

Thomas, I think the one I showed is likely the plant of KAVB Checklist 1991.
The Checklist of 1958 has the same description.
I presume your plants are ex. Dix??
Bur Mr. Dix used to buy almost all his bulbs in the trade.
Only a few selected specials were grown on their nursery and I believe they did
not grow the cheaper bulbs themselves.
As it seems to be with many old cultivars, this one too must have changed
or mixed up with others, during many years of cultivation.
Changing over the years is very possible with an old cultivar which was originally selected from Caucasus Forms.

[Thomas Huber]

Yes, Luit. My plants were from Dix, bought in 2003 as "speciosus mixed" NOT as Artabir.
The dark veined plants were selected by me from the others.

I agree with you that the old cultivars can possibly never be identified 100% and this
is a real pity, but I won't stop to select beautiful forms which are worth cultivating in future.

[Kenneth K]

I got some Crocus bulbs some years ago from a very reliable source under the name of C tournefortii. Today when I took some pictures I found those flowers. Obviously not C tournefortii. After some check in my books I came to the conclusion that it ought to be C boryi. Can that be a correct conclusion?
Someone must have made a mix up. That someone is most likely myself!

[Thomas Huber]

Kenneth please tell us: Why do you think it is not tournefortii
The pale blue flowers look more like tournefortii than the generally white coloured boryi to my eyes!

And I would like to know if you grow these wintergreen Crocus outside?
With or without protection? A friend from Sweden told me he wont like to
grow these plants outside in his climate but if you grow them he can also do that.

[hadacekf]

Rafa,
Crocus serotinus subsp. salzmannii in bloom is a sight for the gods. Thanks!

[Kenneth K]

OK, that's the problem with pictures. In reality it is shining white and not light blue. That's the reason why I am suspicious.

Yes I have it outside since 2006 in a well drained raised bed. The bulb is planted in a layer of sand. We have mild winters in the southwest of Sweden. The problem is much rain both in summer and in winter.

[mark smyth]

Yesterday I brought some Crocus inside to force them to open for some photos

lost label
lost label - same pot
close up of the style

a very pale speciosus with huge style bought as C. serotinus salzmanii

[Lars S]

Great to see that your crocus does so well outside Kenneth. I have speciosus in the garden but they have just started to push out of the ground the last week. If the weather continues to be mild I hope that I might see some flowers soon.


Lars

[Gerry Webster]

Crocus medius

Although this is the widely available trade form, this stock  seems to be free of virus. It was obtained from Hythe Alpines, an excellent UK nursery which unfortunately closed down earlier this year. I think it may be the so-called ‘Oliver Wyatt’ form.

[David Nicholson]

Gerry, I posted a picture of my Crocus medius a couple of days ago (bought this year from Potterton's) on Reply 260. Can you tell from my picture if it is virused please?

[Gerry Webster]

Crocus robertianus

From a 1989 collection by Antoine Hoog (AH8956), Greece, Ioanina.
Slightly past its best.

[Maggi Young]

Going back to your picture in post 260 of page 18 of this thread, David, I do think there looks to be some sign of virus streaks in the flowers..... sorry

Gerry, your photo is not so clear, but I seem to see a few dodgy lines there, too.... hope I'm wrong   

[Gerry Webster]

Gerry, I posted a picture of my Crocus medius a couple of days ago (bought this year from Potterton's) on Reply 260. Can you tell from my picture if it is virused please?

David - I saw your pic when it was posted & I did think it possible that your plant might be virused. Most Dutch imports seem to be. However it is not easy to be certain from photos unless the plants are really badly affected. The symptoms range from colour streaks on the petals to severe distortion of the flowers. 

[Armin]

I was off a couple of days. I still need to work off an immense number of contributions.
Super crocus pictures from everybody.

Rafa, extremely intriguing to see the color distribution of wild C. serotinus ssp. salzmanni  

Here are a few pictures from last weekend. I like the C. nudiflorus which I have the first time in flower. Thanks to Dirk

Really different to the "standard" speciosus is the cultivar "Aino" which I receipt late September from PC Nijssen.
The flower was not yet full open when I took the picture.
A real stunner in my eyes.

[Maggi Young]

Gerry, good luck!

Armin, what super pix.... so much to admire about the shape , form and markings of these crocus