Crocus November 2008

[annew]

A friend has sent me this photograph of a crocus she saw growing in Lefkas Island in Greece. Any identification offers?

[Jim McKenney]

Here's a contribution to this November crocus thread from USDA zone 7 Montgomery County, Maryland, USA: Crocus hermoneus. This has been a good doer here, although I grow it lean and dry in a cold frame and don't get increase. But it does bloom yearly.

[art600]

Anne

I think your friend's Crocus is boryi.  Hope the experts agree   

[Maggi Young]

I'm no expert, but I'm with Arthur on Crocus boryi for Anne's friend's Greek Crocus!
There's a pic here:   http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2004/031104/log.html
It's one of my favourites 

Jim, I do like your C. hermoneus, but how frustrating for you that it is shy to increase 

[Lesley Cox]

Dominique, that is very kind of you and I'll happily accept your offer of seed later. You are right, we can't accept corms, even tiny ones, without MASSES of paperwork and red tape and dollars.

[ian mcenery]

Just starting to flower and under a cloche to stop the b....y awful weather spoiling the flowers.  This form of Niveus is late flowering Nov/Dec

[art600]

Andrew

I was lucky to see Crocus melantherus at two sites.  The following were on Mount Didima near to the town of Nafplio

[Maggi Young]

Crikey! Aren't they lovely?

[art600]

Crikey! Aren't they lovely?

Wait until you see the rest!!!

[Jim McKenney]

Here's a white flowered form of Crocus goulimyi photographed in late October of 2006. I assume this is 'Mani White'; it was received long ago as Crocus goulimyi albus from a UK supplier, probably before the name 'Mani White' had been published.  Can anyone guess what the red foliage is? I didn't plan this, it just happened. Well, it sort-of just happened: once I saw what a nice contrast there is between the foliage and the flowers, I gathered up a few more of the red leaves to add to the effect.

I've had Crocus goulimyi from several sources and they all do well here. A typical Maryland winter brings temperatures lower than any usually experienced in Aberdeen or much of coastal, western Europe.

[Andrew]

Here's a white flowered form of Crocus goulimyi photographed in late October of 2006. I assume this is 'Mani White'; it was received long ago as Crocus goulimyi albus from a UK supplier, probably before the name 'Mani White' had been published.

Jim, your C. goulimyi looks quite white, as discussed elsewhere C. goulimyi 'Mani White' is cream coloured, very noticeable when you have a true white next to it, but probably a bit harder to see when it's on its own.

[Andrew]

No - not seen it in the wild - yet! When shall we go?

It's getting a bit late this year by the time everything is sorted out and I expect you would need a bit more notice anyway. Any holiday plans for next year?

[Gerry Webster]

Here's a white flowered form of Crocus goulimyi photographed in late October of 2006. I assume this is 'Mani White'; it was received long ago as Crocus goulimyi albus from a UK supplier, probably before the name 'Mani White' had been published.

Jim, your C. goulimyi looks quite white, as discussed elsewhere C. goulimyi 'Mani White' is cream coloured, very noticeable when you have a true white next to it, but probably a bit harder to see when it's on its own.

Hmm..   'Mani White' as grown by me has rather acute petals which give a more well defined triangular shape to the flower than exhibited by other forms of C. goulimyi. Jim's plants seem to incline in this direction. I think  colour is, to some extent, in the eye of the beholder & I'm not sure I would describe 'Mani White' as 'cream' although to my eyes it is different to the colour of the white form of C. goulimyi var. leucanthus which I would describe  as 'dead white' (but I suspect this would mean little to anyone else). Hythe Alpines used to offer a white form of C.goulimyi var. goulimyi which they claimed was distinct from 'Mani White' but I've never seen it.

[Thomas Huber]

Ian, what a wonderful late form of Crocus niveus - I've never seen such a bright yellow stem on any of my plants!

Anne, I fully agree with Arthur and Maggi: Your friends plant is Crocus boryi.

[Andrew]

Hythe Alpines used to offer a white form of C.goulimyi var. goulimyi which they claimed was distinct from 'Mani White' but I've never seen it.

Gerry, I have the Hythe white form and that is what I am going by. I was going to photograph C. goulimyi var leucanthus, 'Mani White' and the white form together to show the differences but was rather busy at the time and never managed to do it.

Maybe next year !