Crocuses in December - 2008

[David Nicholson]

Thank you Janis.

[Boyed]

Dear Janis,

Thanks a lot for such kind and detailed explanations. As Luc said: "We're learning everyday'.

Your 'Cassiope' looks really true to name. It looks sertainly as what I saw in J. Pennings catalogue, where 'Cassiope' was illustrated.

The crocus, which I receved under the name 'Cassiope' closely resembles your cultivar Pollux with its flushed outside of outer petals.

[Armin]

Janis,
thank you for your prompt reply and all the crocus collectors background info you share with us.
I regret you almost lost "Oxonian" by rodents. I hope you can built-up again a good stock of it with the remaining 2 corms.
Your pictures of "Oxonian", "Cassiope" and "ssp. xantolaimos" are suberb references.
"Pollux" was not known to me but some I have in my garden resemble strongly to it. So, maybe this is popular version in dutch mixed stocks.
"Cloudy Sky" from Zhirair is stunning and adoring. Very fine and extraordinary.

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis,
thank you for your prompt reply and all the crocus collectors background info you share with us.
I regret you almost lost "Oxonian" by rodents. I hope you can built-up again a good stock of it with the remaining 2 corms.
Your pictures of "Oxonian", "Cassiope" and "ssp. xantolaimos" are suberb references.
"Pollux" was not known to me but some I have in my garden resemble strongly to it. So, maybe this is popular version in dutch mixed stocks.
"Cloudy Sky" from Zhirair is stunning and adoring. Very fine and extraordinary.

Really more or less correct naming of varieties started to stop before eighties of last century when Dutch bulbgrowers stopped selling own bulbs. Then companies splitted in growers and sellers. Many old famous companies sold their names to sellers who bought the name and LOOKED FOR CHEEPEST BULBS for selling to amateurs etc. by beautifully colored catalogues. Really now you can be happy if color will be the same what you ordered and great luck is to obtain correct variety. I have hundreds of stories and personal experience, too (especially from period when I few years bought in bulk Dutch grown lily bulbs for reselling in Latvia - only shipments from Bishoff-Tulleken lilies - not more exist - were mostly correctly named). Now some grower companies returns to selling without intermediates (Jan Pennings in Breezand is one of such samples) but again they are selling in "boxes" to companies which divide bulbs in small packets for supplying to private gardeners. And again - if some variety are sold out, it without notification can be replaced by similar.
Relating to Crocuses I unfortunately must to mention famous name in Crocus breeding - Willem van Eeden. He raised a lot of varieties and we were good friends. He simply explained to me, when I asked about appearance of two different, although very similar crocuses in one of his shipments to me - oh, they were too similar to keep them and I joined stocks (both varieties were registered). Later I got some of his Iris reticulata varieties. I found that stocks shipped in different years were slightly different - he explained - oh, they are siblings, one was sold out and you got another'- you can name it 'as.....'.
Other problem with Dutch grown crocuses (not only Crocuses, other small bulbs, too, Muscari especial) is that stocks are almost 100% virus infected. Not the terrible viruses killing plants, but a lot of so named symptom-less viruses or viruses affecting leaves, not flowers. Those viruses only reduce corm crop and size of blooms. But in combination with destroying viruses they increases damage and corms dies very soon.
Try to collect seeds of Large Dutch crocuses (C.vernus) and compare flowering intensity, size of flowers and corms of seedlings with mother plants - and you will see the difference.
This is the reason why I stopped all purchasing from Dutch nurseries and large seller-companies. Now I'm keeping contacts only with small companies who sells only own produced bulbs. The last my mistake was done in autumn 2007 when I felt under temptation to buy 100 corms of Crocus kotschyanus Albus. Got huge corms but only 1 bloomed in first autumn as C. speciosus. This autumn most gave those famous malformed 3-4 petalled blue flowers. Under this beautiful name appeared this famous Dutch grown kotschyanus stock which makes huge corms but never blooms - virus or genetic problem. All were dug out and went to fireplace. Janis

[Boyed]

It's true. From my experience I also can say with regert that 90% of Dutch stock of small bulbs are virus-infected, especially crocus stocks. The situation with spring crocuses is especially hopeless. For many years systematically I have been obtaining Dutch crocus vernus hybrids and trash them because of leaf mosaic virus. Though it is still possible to get healthy stock of autumn crocuses. The amount of healthy plants compared with virused ones among them is 50/50. Fore example, my crocus pulchellus 'Michael Hoog' of Dutch origin bloomed perfectly, but later when the leaves showed up, 3 out 5 were infected with virus mosaic of leaves. So I think that quarantining is very necessary for new-comers. After I clear the stock I don't have further problems with viruses at all.

[ian mcenery]

This is the reason why I stopped all purchasing from Dutch nurseries and large seller-companies. Now I'm keeping contacts only with small companies who sells only own produced bulbs.

Couldn't agree more whether they are bought directly or indirectly from sources in the UK I am fed up with receiving the wrong plants and/or them withering away. Had already taken the decision to only buy from bona fide growers or raise from seed - cuts out a lot of aggravation and disappointment 

[johanneshoeller]

My latest Crocus (from Kreta). It is very tiny - 10mm tall. Is it speciosum?

[David Nicholson]

Janis you have given us 'Crocunuts' some very important advice there, thank you.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I guess Janis information just confirms what a lot of us have experienced in the past ... 

[art600]

My latest Crocus (from Kreta). It is very tiny - 10mm tall. Is it speciosum?

With white anthers, I would suggest possibly laevigatus

[Maggi Young]

My latest Crocus (from Kreta). It is very tiny - 10mm tall. Is it speciosum?

With white anthers, I would suggest possibly laevigatus

White anthers, yellow throat, nice outer markings... I'm think a very beautiful little C. laevigatus!

[Janis Ruksans]

My latest Crocus (from Kreta). It is very tiny - 10mm tall. Is it speciosum?

It is C. laevigatus.
Janis

[David Nicholson]

Why is it I can never keep enough information in my mind to accurately ID a species. Is it an age thing, or just lack of experience


Just had to have a check on my spelling the spelling part of my brain seems to have gone on holiday today. Another age thing?

[Maggi Young]

Why is it I can never keep enough information in my mind to accurately ID a species. Is it an age thing, or just lack of experience


Just had to have a check on my spelling the spelling part of my brain seems to have gone on holiday today. Another age thing?

4 minutes past four o'clock, David

[David Nicholson]