Crocuses in December - 2008

[mark smyth]

I reworded the query. Are the outer petals of C. cyprius black?

[Tony Willis]

No they are dark purple if you let the sun shine on them but they do appear black particularly in a photgraph.

Here are two views of another pot of them

[Paul T]

Tony,

Wow!!  If only it were possible to trade with you.  Those cyprius are VERY speccy!! (short for special/spectacular, in case anyone is wondering)

[Anthony Darby]

I agree with Paul. Very nice.

[Lesley Cox]

Marcus has C. cyprius Paul. He sent me one last summer.

[Paul T]

But do his cyprius have those dark markings?  I for some reason thought that cyprius normally wasn't dark on the outside like that... sounds like I am thinking of something else?

[Tony Willis]

Mathew in 'The Crocus' states,heavily stained violet on the exterior. I have seen hundreds in the wild and this is a common characteristic. The illustration in the book bears no resemblance to the actual plant.

[mark smyth]

I hope this Crocus is correct. I noticed it yesterday among my pots that are outside. Reading Tony's Crocus pages he says it needs a dry summer rest and winter protection both of which I havent given it.

C. cancellatus lycius

[Janis Ruksans]

Sometime I'm feeling that I'm living somewhere halfway to down under. I still must to wait few months till spring blooming crocuses really will start blooming. Attached pictures of Crocus cyprius are maid 4th of March (I think in 2004). Even those are pictured in greenhouse.
Janis

[Martin Baxendale]

I hope you're enjoying Christmas even without crocus, Janis. I was in my greenhouse just now and noticed the shoots of Crocus 'Yalta' starting to show - a crocus I've wanted to have and flower for quite a while. Not long to wait now. Not a rare species, I know, but I loved the pictures in the catalogue. The latest corydalis purchases are also showing fat shoots. 'Foundling' has very, very fat buds!

[Janis Ruksans]

'Yalta' is selected by me from seedlings grown up under name C. tommasinianus. Now it is grown in large numbers by Dutch company Jan Pennings in Breezand.
Janis

[Anthony Darby]

Here is Crocus korolkowii 'Mountains Glory', which opened today in the kitchen.

[Oron Peri]

We have had a couple of hours of sun and some of the  crocus have opened. I have decided the third is laevigatus after some deliberation.It has white anthers but the flower is minute.

Tony,

Do you grow these four species shown,  under same conditions?

I try to understand if species from high altitudes such as C. cyprium that blooms after snow melts [as in the case of C. anataliensis, adanensis and others] need this cold treatment in order to flower?
Any how it blooms early then in its natural habitat and i guess it didn't get a cold period??.

[tonyg]

I hope this Crocus is correct. I noticed it yesterday among my pots that are outside. Reading Tony's Crocus pages he says it needs a dry summer rest and winter protection both of which I havent given it.

C. cancellatus lycius

Perhaps I should have said prefers rather than needs ... we are all here to learn

[Armin]

A Merry Christmas to all!

Tony, Janis
your white & blue C. cyprius are very desirable. As a typical winter bloomer (wet winter/spring - dry summer rest) I suppose it is more suited for a green house rather then for outside open garden cultivation.  
Any recommendations/experiences with outside cultivation?

Mark,
your cancellatus lycius is lovely and maybe harder then expected .

Janis,
you mentioned in the "christmas present" C.tauricus? The picture of the corm form is unusual and I don't know this species by name yet.
Is it just recently discovered or is the name a synonym I'm not aware?
Can you kindly post a picture? More info please

I purchased "Yalta" this autumn from a dutch reseller in order to compare it with a crocus I purchased 3years ago under C.vernus ssp. vernus - a form resembling "Yalta". Do you know if "Yalta" was earlier distributed under C.vernus ssp. vernus?
If not - anyway I'll find out in spring if they are the same
I like them very much!