Muscari ... and some relatives 2010

[Ragged Robin]

Muscari latifolium is interesting to watch in all its stages as it grows from the hooded image, posted earlier (111), to statuesque today in the morning sun against a rock  

[Janis Ruksans]

Also another recovery- a second bulb of Muscari auchadra in a different part of the xeric garden.

Simon

You have a beautiful collection of Bellevalia.!!!

Regarding Muscari auchadra, last year i have seen this name for the first time and didn't find any information about it.

Since i knew it is grown also at Wisley Garden i have asked Paul Cumbleton if they hold any information regarding this species.
Paul answered that infact there wasn't and asked Brian Mathew for details.
After an investigation made  by B.M. he came up with the following information:

''It was collected in Greece by Arne Strid under the number 26295, so i contacted him and he too knows nothing of this name. However, he collected it at a place called Achladea. So it looks as if 'auchadra' was just a mistake for Achladea.
The plant hasn't a cultivar name at present as far as i know, but M. commutatum white form would suffice for the moment.''

So that seems to solve the mystery.

Oron, thanks for research on "M. auchadra". I was looking for its name last spring when it bloomed with me for the first time. Now will change label.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Nice photos from erverybody.

Mark, I agree with Uli, likely M. latifolium.
M. latifolium...picture from last year for comparison.

here some from my garden
M. 'Dark Eyes'...is this armeniacum or aucheri ? or any cross? who knows?
M. neglectum...dark blue with redish stem, smaller leaves - my favourite for naturalizing.
M. botryoides...lovely too. Nowadays rarely seen in gardens, replaced by M. armeniacum
M. armeniacum... a weed but nice when in flower
M. aucheri 'Mount Hood'... still bud stage but white tip already visible - an eye catcher in the raised bed.

Armin, 'Dark Eyes' is from the same Muscari species nova family as SKY BLUE, WHITE-ROSE BEAUTY, EARLY ROSE.
Janis

[Hans J]

here is a Muscari from my garden .....I dont remeber from where this plants came and also not the name ...

Could this be Muscari muscarimii ?

Thank you for confirmation
Hans

[johnw]

here is a Muscari from my garden .....I dont remeber from where this plants came and also not the name ...

Could this be Muscari muscarimii ?

Thank you for confirmation
Hans

Hans

Looks like M. muscarimi as grown here from JJA seed.

johnw

[Janis Ruksans]

here is a Muscari from my garden .....I dont remeber from where this plants came and also not the name ...

Could this be Muscari muscarimii ?

Thank you for confirmation
Hans

Yes, without any doubt.
Janis

[Armin]

On the protected sunny south side of my house, I grow M. 'Valerie Finnis' and M. macrocarpum 'Yellow Fragrance'.  The problem I have with these Muscari is their foliage tries to be everygreen throughout the winter, which looks tatty with lots of brown leaf tips by spring, moreso on macrocarpum.  The plants still grow well enough and flower, I just don't know how to deal that growth pattern, to avoid scrappy looking plants in spring.

Mark,
in order to avoid early growth of leaves is to dig out the muscari bulbs after going dormant and store them dry until replanting in late autumn, like all professional growers do. Muscari genetically do not have a mechanism who control leaves growths. The growths of leaves (& roots) is activated as soon there is enough moist available.
Our summers are usual too wet...

Do you get down on your belly to sniff at the flowers?
Mark, I've not tried it that way   But I like to take photos from the perspective of a small animal. 

[Armin]

M. 'Dark Eyes'...is this armeniacum or aucheri ? or any cross? who knows?

Armin, 'Dark Eyes' is from the same Muscari species nova family as SKY BLUE, WHITE-ROSE BEAUTY, EARLY ROSE.
Janis

Janis,
thank you for your reply. I've searched the web and found more about Muscari Dark Eyes & Sky Blue on the web pages of Martin Philippo http://home.tiscali.nl/hennessy/firstpage.htm.
"'Dark Eyes': A Muscari, reported as selected from wild material originally collected near Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, N Caucasus in 1969. Probably a hybrid between M. neglectum x M. pallens."
"'Sky Blue': like 'Dark Eyes' and 'White Beauty' reported as being selected from wild material originally collected near Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, N Caucasus in 1969. Probably a hybrid between M. neglectum x M. pallens."

[Janis Ruksans]

M. 'Dark Eyes'...is this armeniacum or aucheri ? or any cross? who knows?

Armin, 'Dark Eyes' is from the same Muscari species nova family as SKY BLUE, WHITE-ROSE BEAUTY, EARLY ROSE.
Janis

Janis,
thank you for your reply. I've searched the web and found more about Muscari Dark Eyes & Sky Blue on the web pages of Martin Philippo http://home.tiscali.nl/hennessy/firstpage.htm.
"'Dark Eyes': A Muscari, reported as selected from wild material originally collected near Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, N Caucasus in 1969. Probably a hybrid between M. neglectum x M. pallens."
"'Sky Blue': like 'Dark Eyes' and 'White Beauty' reported as being selected from wild material originally collected near Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, N Caucasus in 1969. Probably a hybrid between M. neglectum x M. pallens."

This is copied from my catalogue some years ago. Now I shortened the text.
Janis

[Hans J]

Thank you John + Janis for the confirmation of my Muscari 

[Janis Ruksans]

Two Bellevalias - B. rixii, very local plant from E Turkey and unidentified sp. from Syria.
Janis

[ArnoldT]

Muscari macrocarpum

Arnold
New Jersey

[Armin]

This is copied from my catalogue some years ago. Now I shortened the text.
Janis

Janis,
I was not aware all such beautiful muscari findings and cv. names are your original.
Never stop learning!

[Janis Ruksans]

The best Muscari by my opinion is M. adilii, but another, still without name isn't less beautiful.
Janis

[cohan]

i think i am liking every plant in this thread! but the bellevalias shown by simon and janis have some really beautiful subtle colours! any ideas on general hardiness of these? (for comparison, common scillas and muscari are hardy here)