Crocus: November 2010

[Hans A.]

Yesterday  on a mountain tour I took some pics of Crocus cambessedesii, peak of the season is over but i still found a few nice ones I want to share.
Two vulture followed my steps, think  Aegypius monachus, there were also some Gyps fulvus which immigrated Mallorca only a few years ago.

[Gerry Webster]

Gerd , I too kept a few of Roger's handwritten letters ( as you say in perfect german ) from 1991-94 . He taught English for a few years at a school in Munich . I too still grow Cyclamen colchicum from seed received from him ( but my first seed of this species came from
Prof . Otto Schwarz , Jena Bot . Garden ) and also Hepatica nobilis 'Elkhofner Resi" - a vivid pink- which Roger collected somewhere in
Bavaria .

Perhaps Roger Poulett was reluctant to sell me any of his plants because he guessed that I would kill them as, indeed, I did with Hepatica nobilis 'Elkhofner Resi'.

[Janis Ruksans]

Today we had unusually warm day - the warmest 15th November in last 50 years. Temperature reached +12 C and crocus flowers opened although the day was dark and cloudy. So it was possible to picture some of last autumn bloomers. Some (cambessedesii) are less floriferous than last year and one (C. oreocreticus) seems that will not form flowers this season qt all.
On the the first picture you can see Crocus cambessedesii - surprised for very few flowers this season.
Very long last blooms of this, quite variable stock of Crocus cartwrightianus (EP-9430)
Two differently colored stocks of Crocus tournefortii - note degree of style splitting in both. One is from Rik, another from Antoine Hoog.
Crocus veneris this season seem to be the species with the smallest flowers.
Crocus vitellinus flowerbuds (Broumana, Lebanon) I showed before, now open flowers. Really shocked for yellow crocus in November (see note of Oron at my earlier entry)
From annulate crocuses still in flowers are C. wattiorum, but quality of blooms during long days of dark, moist, cloudy weather became too poor for picturing. So only Crocus melantherus - one of the latest autumn blooming stocks.

[Janis Ruksans]

In this entry only one very variable species - Crocus laevigatus.
The first is nice violet form received from Erick Pasche.
Follows form 'Gold Back' showed earlier in buds. Unfortunately yellow shade slowly pales during blooming.
The smallest flowers in this species have forms from Crete
And on last four pictures are two forms (2 pictures of each) originating from Ray Cobb and which I received by kindness of Jim Archibald.
Janis

[daveyp1970]

Janis that second form of Crocus laevigatus Ray Cobb is incredible and Crocus vitellinus wow

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis that second form of Crocus laevigatus Ray Cobb is incredible and Crocus vitellinus wow

I agree with you, it is phantastic.
Janis

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Janis that second form of Crocus laevigatus Ray Cobb is incredible and Crocus vitellinus wow

I follow Davey in his praise !
C. vitellinus is truly unique ! 

[Janis Ruksans]

Yesterday  on a mountain tour I took some pics of Crocus cambessedesii, peak of the season is over but i still found a few nice ones I want to share.
Two vulture followed my steps, think  Aegypius monachus, there were also some Gyps fulvus which immigrated Mallorca only a few years ago.

Hans,
Phantastic quality of pictures and marvellous plants! What camera you use?
Janis

[Kees Jan]

Here is Crocus robertianus from the southern Pindus in Greece, one of the plants in a new gallery that I have created http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Europe/Greece-mainland-October-2005/14625509_ocjJ9#1088069757_UoLCR . Having seen quite a few autumn flowering ones in recent years it is interesting that several species are typical woodland plants, i.e. robertianus, pulchellus and kotschyanus.

[TheOnionMan]

Here is Crocus robertianus from the southern Pindus in Greece, one of the plants in a new gallery that I have created http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Europe/Greece-mainland-October-2005/14625509_ocjJ9#1088069757_UoLCR . Having seen quite a few autumn flowering ones in recent years it is interesting that several species are typical woodland plants, i.e. robertianus, pulchellus and kotschyanus.

Kees, an amazing gallery... topped off with that monastery, the scale of the mount it sits upon is hard to fathom.  really enjoyed some of the Colchicum and Sternbergia photos 

[tonyg]

Here is Crocus robertianus from the southern Pindus in Greece, one of the plants in a new gallery that I have created http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Europe/Greece-mainland-October-2005/14625509_ocjJ9#1088069757_UoLCR . Having seen quite a few autumn flowering ones in recent years it is interesting that several species are typical woodland plants, i.e. robertianus, pulchellus and kotschyanus.

Your galleries are excellent, fantastic pics.
Not surprising that some of the geophytes are found away from the most extreme heat that bakes the open places in this area.  When grown in Northern gardens (such as here in the UK) they need all the sun they can get.  I have found the same with plants like Cyclamen coum which thrives in open sunny places here but is much less happy if I try to replicate its natural, semi shaded habitat.

[Janis Ruksans]

Here is Crocus robertianus from the southern Pindus in Greece, one of the plants in a new gallery that I have created http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Europe/Greece-mainland-October-2005/14625509_ocjJ9#1088069757_UoLCR . Having seen quite a few autumn flowering ones in recent years it is interesting that several species are typical woodland plants, i.e. robertianus, pulchellus and kotschyanus.

Your galleries are excellent, fantastic pics.
Not surprising that some of the geophytes are found away from the most extreme heat that bakes the open places in this area.  When grown in Northern gardens (such as here in the UK) they need all the sun they can get.  I have found the same with plants like Cyclamen coum which thrives in open sunny places here but is much less happy if I try to replicate its natural, semi shaded habitat.

I even failed when planted Central Asian shade plants in Latvian shade and even lost some, but they are very happy in full sun here.
Janis

[KentGardener]

Another picture of Melvyn's cartwrightianus that I took of his plant on Saturday.

[Hans A.]

Wow - two one day away, and again so many unique pictures and plants!

Hans,
Phantastic quality of pictures and marvellous plants! What camera you use?
Janis

Thanks a lot Janis - I use a Lumix DMC FZ-18. In my opinion a good small camera - it (or me?)has only some problems if there is little light. Normally I sharpen the pictures a bit after reducing their size on the Computer.

[art600]

Happy to report I have a Crocus wattiorum in flower - thanks Tony