Crocus in pots March 2010

[Luc Gilgemyn]

My crocus season is coming to the end,a few in flower today

A very worthy Grand Finale Tony !!
Only 5 odd months or so before the autumn Crocus' are there !! 

[Janis Ruksans]

Today I saw my greenhouses after 10 days out of home. Regardless of snowing in some moments sun shined warming up the air, but now again is minus 6 C. During my absence the temperature dropped up to minus 24 for one night. Fortunately I left orders and pots were again covered by glass-wool sheets. How it looks outside - you can see on the first two pictures. Some people think that this year snow will stay up to May.

As I commented Crocus chrysanthus 'Uschak Orange' this morning - here the picture of one pot grown inside, although it is completely hardy. Pot is 15x15x20 cm, in it is planted 12 corms.

This spring for first time bloomed Crocus chrysanthus corm collected when it was out of flowers between Muģla and Kale, in spring 2008. Now I have true black anthered chrysanthus for cross with SUNSPOT - hope it will start blooming tomorrow or day after.

When I left home Crocus baytopiorum was with large colored buds, now it blooms.

Greatest surprises and joy was brought by two entries blooming for the first time

Crocus biflorus from Iran (WHIR-164). Could be subsp. adamii, but color so unusual!

And as last today most possibly hybrid between C. chrysanthus and C. biflorus isauricus from "Natures Breeding Station" near Akseki (unfortunately it seems that this unique locality lives last years - the land is divided for house building developers (about this later in my travel report).

Janis

[Armin]

Janis,
marvelous croci photos. The one from Iran is a real stunner

[TheOnionMan]

Janis,
marvelous croci photos. The one from Iran is a real stunner

Janis, such good news and gorgeous croci.  I second Armin's pick of the Crocus biflorus from Iran, but my first pick woul be the C. chrysanthus and C. biflorus isauricus cross, the yellow feathering on white on the backs is most pleasing.

Janis, there was an earthquake in Turkey while you were there, I trust you were not close to the epicenter?

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis,
marvelous croci photos. The one from Iran is a real stunner

Janis, such good news and gorgeous croci.  I second Armin's pick of the Crocus biflorus from Iran, but my first pick woul be the C. chrysanthus and C. biflorus isauricus cross, the yellow feathering on white on the backs is most pleasing.

Janis, there was an earthquake in Turkey while you were there, I trust you were not close to the epicenter?

We were just near the epicenter (50 km distance) but a day before!!! So we got information by telephone call from home and two days later saw on Turkish TV during dinner in hotel.
Janis

[Lesley Cox]

So pleased you are safe and well Janis. This seems to be an especially rich year for earthquakes in many parts of the world. I can imagine that New Zealanders who live in Wellington, the capital, are shaking in their shoes as they are said to be due "the big one" any day soon. But we have a fault line just 10 kms away off the Otago coast so I am not complacent about earthquakes at all.

I have to agree that the C biflorus ssp from Iran is most particularly beautiful. The delicate etching of yellow and blue/grey is truly exquisite.

[Graeme Strachan]

With a little sun and a rise in temperature my Sieberi Ronald Ginns opened more fully on Saturday.

               Graeme

[Maggi Young]

Those are looking good, Graeme.... what time was the sun out? I think I must have blinked and missed it 

[Graeme Strachan]

Maggi,
         According to my photograph properties, the sun was shining on Saturday 13 March 2010, 14:51
Sunday of course was pretty miserable

            You must have blinked as you said.

                        Graeme

[Maggi Young]

Maggi,
         According to my photograph properties, the sun was shining on Saturday 13 March 2010, 14:51
Sunday of course was pretty miserable

            You must have blinked as you said.

                        Graeme

Aha! Good to have the details.... this allows me to confirm that, having got a bit damp earlier while out for a walk and having stood for a wee while in the cold wind at Mannofiled church to see a wedding party pose for photos, I got home and had a sneezing fit at the crucial time. 
Good to see the crocus in the town gardens coming out well now, isn't it? Have you been along Riverside to see how they're doing there?

[Graeme Strachan]

Maggi,
         No - I haven't seen the ones along Riverside, but the ones in my grass are coming along fine.

                Graeme

[Maggi Young]

They are indeed..... so much more fun than having them in the borders 

[Janis Ruksans]

All the day again was snowing only in afternoon sky cleared ans sun started to shine. Good for pictures but too late and flowers didn't opened much. From other side - this and next night with clear sky are offered minus 20 C... Brr...

But few nice blooms I can share with you - on first picture you can see Crocus house inside, outside view I posted shortly before, nothing changed only snow mounts are higher.
The most beautiful this afternoon was this tiny (yet) beauty - Crocus chryusanthus from Gembos yaila near Akseki with black stigma resembling cv. 'Sunspot' but with nicely speckled flower segments outside. Hope tomorrow cross it with black anthered form picture of which I posted few days ago.
Another beauty - Crocus nevadensis.

If my crocuses will not be killed this night - tomorrow few more.
Janis

[I.S.]

   Janis, the one with black anther should we accepte as a hybrid chrysanthus x b. nubigena or b. caricus or as a pure chrysanthus?
  And thank you very much for informations about on Chrysantus Uschak.
So I have to be more attentive on chrysanthus!


 

[Janis Ruksans]

   Janis, the one with black anther should we accepte as a hybrid chrysanthus x b. nubigena or b. caricus or as a pure chrysanthus?
  And thank you very much for informations about on Chrysantus Uschak.
So I have to be more attentive on chrysanthus!

I don't think that it is hybrid. It was collected out of flowers, I think we were there too late for chrysanthus as on that locality C. fleischeri was in flowers yet. From this district Brian Mathew collected another black anthered chrysanthus, but we didn't find old road to those villages. The black anthered chrysanthus is pictured in Sheasbies marvellous book BULBOUS PLANTS OF TURKEY AND IRAN.
Janis