Crocus to identify? Post them here....

[Armin]

Janis,
you grow your wonderful C. veluchensis in a quite peaty soil.
What is the reason for it?

[Sinchets]

Armin- the ones we see here- even the populations on limestone -are always on a really humic soil- whether it be in woodland or grassland.

[Armin]

Simon,
thank you for your observations from the wild.
Does C. veluchenis prefer a acidly/peaty humic soil? Which PH value is best for them, any experience?
Or is this less important as long as there is enough limestone and good drainage?
My soil PH value is ~7.5-7.8.

[Janis Ruksans]

Simon,
thank you for your observations from the wild.
Does C. veluchenis prefer a acidly/peaty humic soil? Which PH value is best for them, any experience?
Or is this less important as long as there is enough limestone and good drainage?
My soil PH value is ~7.5-7.8.

My base soil is quite heavy clay, improved by peat moss and coarse sand. But on picture you can see the mulch covering - 5 cm of peat moss to protect against frost, weeds and keep moisture level. pH I try to keep at 6.5, but sometimes it is more acid. Every 3rd year I try to give good dose of dolomite chalk. Annual mulching with acid peat moss lowers rhe pH.
Janis

[Sinchets]

I am not sure of pH, Armin, as we don't have a pH meter, but Crocus veluchensis is more common here on soils over acidic rocks and we have seen it growing in open beech woodland as well as alpine grassland in these areas. The seed we collected on Mt Musala was from grassland between dwarfed pines. We have seen C.veluchensis in the Rodopi growing over limestone, but here the soils were very peaty from the build up of dead grasses and pine needles. In the rockier areas in between where the soil was thinner C.biflorus adamii was growing and we have not yet seen this species on an acidic soil.

[Armin]

Janis,
thank you very much for the details and the reasons for mulching with peat moss. For sure your climate is harder then mine here and you have a need to protect your .
Do you target PH6.5 for all of your crocus beds or is this just valid for C. veluchensis?

I've spread out plenty of chalk on the meadow and the used compost for the raised beds is sightly alkaline too. I think I will have enough chalk buffer and will have no need for more dosis for the next years.

Simon,
thank you for the wild habitat description. It seems C. veluchensis is growing perfectly in slightly acid soil in the wild. I'll consider this and might add some peat moss as Janis do.

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis,
thank you very much for the details and the reasons for mulching with peat moss. For sure your climate is harder then mine here and you have a need to protect your .
Do you target PH6.5 for all of your crocus beds or is this just valid for C. veluchensis?

I've spread out plenty of chalk on the meadow and the used compost for the raised beds is sightly alkaline too. I think I will have enough chalk buffer and will have no need for more dosis for the next years.

Simon,
thank you for the wild habitat description. It seems C. veluchensis is growing perfectly in slightly acid soil in the wild. I'll consider this and might add some peat moss as Janis do.

It is too difficult to make special soil on open garden beds, so I use the medium optimum for most  bulbs (6.5). The worst is neutral soil as well as too acidic. For example if pH on tulip beds drops below 5.5 you will never receive good size bulbs, they remain small. Higher level of pH as 7.5 is less dangerous than acid. Of course in pots I try to adapt soil for some special plants adding some chalk or some more peat, but in general 6.5 fits most of bulbs.
Janis

[Guff]

Janis I'm going to dig it up when it dies down and move it to a better spot with good soil. I was just wondering which CHRYSANTHUS/BIFLORUS form/named it was. Thomas any ideas?

Heres another picture. A day or two past its prime, kinda forgot about it.

[Guff]

This was bought as Vernus Graecus a couple years ago. Dirk said this was really Yalta, could someone post a picture of the real Graecus. Thanks.

[Janis Ruksans]

This was bought as Vernus Graecus a couple years ago. Dirk said this was really Yalta, could someone post a picture of the real Graecus. Thanks.

It looks as YALTA. Graecus still didn't started blooming. Will try to remember and picture it. Not at present in my picture gallery. It is quite lazy to flower in some seasons.
Janis

[PeterT]

I recieved this crocus as C danfordiae, it is a little large but flowers at the right time, apologies for the poor photograph, and thankyou to anyone who can confirm or correct the name.

[tonyg]

Peter - challenging photos!  It could be C danfordiae but all that I have seen have very small flowers with segments which do not overlap when the flower opens wide.  It has attractive markings on the petal reverses, looks like a member of the biflorus clan but C danfordiae 

[PeterT]

Thanks Tony, it is lovely and I am very pleased with it but It's not what I expected. I'll keep the question mark on the label

[olegKon]

First flowers this spring caused some surprise. Any idea of what these crocuses are.
1 - Crocus vernus?
2,3 - a tommy?

[tonyg]

Hello Oleg
Yes to both of your mystery crocus.  I think you are correct in your identification.