Crocus September 2010

[Hagen Engelmann]

Thank you Janis, my hope is growing

[Boyed]

A lot of rain pushed down the flowers. It`s the last pic for this year. I mean too, the colour isn`t normal. I have hope for the next year. Thank you all for the informations.

Virus is always the sphere of my great concern.
As Janis, I also don't see any colour break or colour irregularity in your crocus Hagen. The colouring is quite natural. In my opinion, the corcus is healthy.

[Maggi Young]

I am interested to hear the opinions of Janis and of Zhirair, whom I know to be an expert in such matters.... I admit that the second photo shown displays a more regular colouring... in the first one, repeated below, there seemed to be too many broken lines for my liking!

I hope your crocus is healthy,Hagen, and remains so. 

[Boyed]

I am interested to hear the opinions of Janis and of Zhirair, whom I know to be an expert in such matters.... I admit that the second photo shown displays a more regular colouring... in the first one, repeated below, there seemed to be too many broken lines for my liking!

I hope your crocus is healthy,Hagen, and remains so.  

Maggii,
I think the second photo is also O.K. Virused stripes usually are irregular and have distinct margins. In this photo I see symmetry in the colouring of the stripes (looking like thick vertical vains) and the lines don't break strictly, just blend with main background colour (maybe because of not enough light). In case of virus colour patterns are different in all 6 petals (all are striped differently). Healthy plants have the same pattren in all 6 petals or 3 outer petals are colured in one common way and the inner ones in a different way.

[Martin Baxendale]

Like Maggi, I wondered if the strangely shaped and marked banaticus might be an unhealthy corm; it looks a bit stunted. If it was in my garden, I'd be inclined to poke around in the soil to see if there's a problem with the corm - perhaps basal rot and/or a lack of healthy rooting causing a stunted flower. In fact, I'd probably lift it carefully, check for basal/root problems, and pot it for safe keeping and careful cultivation. Hope it does turn out to be a good corm and stable colouring, Hagen.

I have just picked out an interesting banaticus seedling (from a white banaticus crossed with a lilac-blue) which looks like it will have white flowers with pale lilac tips - also very big strong corm with two flower stems from the one corm...interestingly, from differemt sides of the corm rather than both from the centre. Problem is, it was one of a handful of seedling corms left too long in a bag of dry peat, which had rooted and made buds in the bag, so the colouring may not stay that way. Will post a photo if it does. I'm way behind with all my repotting! 

[Gerdk]

Here are Crocus nudiflorus and C. speciosus of Swedish origin!

Gerd

[Hagen Engelmann]

Martin, Maggi, Zhirair,  your information are very helpful. Thank you. When I saw the striped flower the first time, I had the same thoughts like you. But all is normal with the corm, only the colour is unusual - and it`s a seedling, first blooming.

Gerd, I like C. nudiflorus. He has a wonderful redpurple colour in contrast to the orange stylus.
Einen schwedischen Crocus speciosus kenne ich allerdings bisher nicht .

[Gerdk]

Gerd, I like C. nudiflorus. He has a wonderful redpurple colour in contrast to the orange stylus.
Einen schwedischen Crocus speciosus kenne ich allerdings bisher nicht .

Hagen,
Thanks for compliments!

The speciosus of Swedish origin was donated by a generous Swedish forum member who told that this crocus lives since 7 decades in his country - well adapted to northern conditions. So I dare to call him Swedish - although of course this isn't the ancient origin. 

Gerd

[Tony Willis]

Some out today
Crocus laevigatus
Crocus goulimyi
Crocus mathewii
Crocus nerimaniae

[Martin Baxendale]

That nerimaniae is a real cutie.

[Armin]

Gerd,
I'm pleased to see your C. nudiflorus flowering in the new garden! The swedish speciosus is a beauty too!

Tony,
wunderful croci species in flower I concur with Martin.

Your C. laevigatus is surprisingly early in flower and resembles C. biflorus ssp. melantherus from appearance.
Usually C. laevigatus is said to be a late autumn/winter/early spring flowerer.
Does it have white anthers?

[Tony Willis]

Armin

yes it has white anthers.None of the others in the pot are flowering yet.

Mathew says its season varies from October to March. In the wild C. nerimaniae does not flower until late October,it may be my watering regime and the cool weather that has brought them on early.

[Gerry Webster]

Crocus thomasii   

From Archibald seed (353.210) - no data. Two colour forms.   

[Armin]

Tony,
thanks for your reply - indeed moist and temperature drops seem to be the important factors to force autuum growth.

Gerry,
superb C. thomasii. A species I'd like to grow in the garden but I'm hesitant as I can't guarantee summer drought during dormancy.
Did you apply a strict drought during summer dormancy to force flowering?

Today another fine form of C. kotschyanus ssp. kotschyanus coll. HKEP 9027 opened flowers today.
This year it is darker compared last year. And is larger in size compared to the other clone flowering now (in the background IMG_3757) and I posted recently.

[Gerry Webster]

Very nice crocus Armin.

As regards C. thomasii, these plants were kept completely dry at a temperature of 20-25º C throughout the summer. I don’t think they would  flower in the open garden here.