Crocuses in December - 2008

[Maggi Young]

Arthur, thanks for that....yes, Gerry, see, your pix are super!
Mind you, Arthur, even though your illustrating the point with less than perfect pictures... we can still see what a gorgeous crocus it is..... isn't the feathering lovely?

[Gerry Webster]

Maggi & Art - You are very kind, but I'm not satisfied  with my pics. Art - you may think your pics are not so good but I wonder what I would have produced under similar conditions? Anyhow, apart from pic quality those C. michelsonii  are just superb. From seed?

[mark smyth]

My first winter flowering Crocus is out today. It's very small compared to what it should be probably due to the very poor light levels we have had this for most of this month. It's C. chrysanthus 'Uschak Orange'

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great stuff Art and Gerry !  You're brightening these gloomy days !!

[Janis Ruksans]

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

I would be ashamed to tell you how many times I have fallen for this one, too. In fact, I have never seen live Crocus kotschyanus 'Albus' and often wonder if there really is such a thing. This year I noticed that the bags on sale in local shops under this name contained annulate corms - that made me wonder if perhaps Crocus speciosus in a white-flowered form might have been substituted. But I kept my money and let them keep their crocuses.

Janis, when those crocus corms went to the fireplace, did you eat them after roasting them? Maybe that clone was bred to be a vegetable and not for flowering. Aren't some crocuses said to taste like chestnuts? 
[/quote]

I just returned from Canary Islands - my first holidays without bulbs but with my wife in five years.
So, at first - I never tried crocus corms on my tooth, but I can tell you that tulip bulbs very early in season (before flowers open) are very juicy and sweet. Delicious...
For those who didn't see Crocus kotschyanus albus - it isn't legend, such plants really exist and to confirm I add here a two pictures (stock comes from my Belgium friend Hendrick van Bogaert).

[Michael J Campbell]

A few in flower today.

Crocus Sieberi Bowles white
Crocus Laevigata?(I hope.)

[Janis Ruksans]

Crocus Sieberi Bowles white
Crocus Laevigata?(I hope.)
[/quote]

Superb laevigatus - especially for its dark stigmatic branches and brightest throat.
Janis

[Michael J Campbell]

Crocus Danfordiae yellow, very small flower

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wow Michael !  Wonderful and early !!

[Paul T]

Michael,

Wow, that sieberi 'Bowles White' is striking!!  Such strong contrasts.  Beautiful pics as usual!!

[Janis Ruksans]

I just returned from weekly check of my Crocus pots. Almost nothing new – still last blooms on cambessedesii, goulimyi, caspius, latest laevigatus and boryi. The best look has some C. biflorus melantherus pots - they seem not suffering from so dull weather and dark striped white buds looks very charming. In pots started blooming of some Crocus michelsonii stocks. In last years it is unusually late for this „spring bloomer” (in last 5 years it seems turned to autumn bloomer). Of course – flowers are only in buds. Weather is very dull, dark, wet, and cool. Every day are some snowing mixed with rain and my greenhouses are covered by snow as you can see on attached picture. I prefer to sit in front of fireplace and to drink some good wine. But... it would be nice if not plenty of urgent jobs. At first I’m taking of dead flowers on Crocuses, Colchicums, Cyclamens, Galanthus, Sternbergias (so late this season). Tomorrow I must to bring Christmas presents to my best friends (rodents) – nice pink colored tablets. Good appetite! And then back to paperwork, to order garden notes, to manuscript of new catalogue, to new book...
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU AND MANY NEW CROCUSES IN COMING NEW YEAR!
Yours sincerely
Janis

[udo]

Thanks Janis!
Here a real Christmas-Crocus,
Cr.aleppicus from N-Syria.

I wish all members a nice christmas and a happy and floriferous New Year.

[mark smyth]

Great looking fire, Janis. Not many people have roaring fires like that anymore due to gas and oil fired central heating.

[Jim McKenney]

thanks, Janis, you are giving us so much to look forward to .

Michael, the color contrasts in your crocus is really beautiful.

Nice to see Crocus aleppicus and C. danfordiae, too.

[hadacekf]

A Crocus never flowered before at this time outside in my garden. Crocus ‘laevigatus late flowering form’ from Tony Goode. Thanks!