Crocus February 2011

[Tony Willis]

Last year I crossed cvijicii with sieberi  to see what would happen and have seedling up . I expect they may be similar but must say it is not one I am particularly keen on.

[Martin Baxendale]

The brain is definitely going! I have veluchensis in the garden (a very large-flowered form bought from Cambridge Bulbs years ago). I should have remembered as I crossed it with sieberi last year. Not expecting anything amazing, but should be interesting - seedlings are in leaf now. Will be interesting to have Janis's form too. So all I really need now is cvijicii from Janis.

Tony, I was just thinking the same thing - cvijicii should also cross with sieberi. I wonder if it would cross with all the subspecies and forms of sieberi? Some of the more dramatically coloured forms of sieberi crossed with cvijicii might produce some very interesting offspring.

[ian mcenery]

Here is what I have as C imperati albus flowering for the first time. Not as striking as plain imperati but nice nevertheless

[Thomas Huber]

The brain is definitely going! I have veluchensis in the garden (a very large-flowered form bought from Cambridge Bulbs years ago). I should have remembered as I crossed it with sieberi last year. Not expecting anything amazing, but should be interesting - seedlings are in leaf now. Will be interesting to have Janis's form too. So all I really need now is cvijicii from Janis.

Tony, I was just thinking the same thing - cvijicii should also cross with sieberi. I wonder if it would cross with all the subspecies and forms of sieberi? Some of the more dramatically coloured forms of sieberi crossed with cvijicii might produce some very interesting offspring.

Martin, if you say your veluchensis is large-flowering I would guess that this is the one that was sold as 'veluchensis Mt Olympus' for many years, which is in fact a form of Crocus vernus. True veluchensis will probably never get such good increasing rates as this vigorous vernus form.

[Tony Willis]

Thomas I do not grow the form Martin is referring to and below is a picture of my Crocus veluchensis. I collected the seed myself many years ago on Olympus. As you say it is slow to increase-it never has.

[Martin Baxendale]

Thomas, I'll try to get a pic of my veluchensis to post here. It does look like your photo, but it did cross successfully with sieberi last year and produce seed which has germinated, so I think it must be veluchensis because vernus would not cross with sieberi. Unless other pollen polluted the cross of course. I'll post a pic and take a closer look at the flowers. My clone came from Norman Stevens at Cambridge Bulbs.

[Armin]

Is this   Crocus vernus ssp heuffelianus?? I bought from Netherlands with a picture shows just like this
http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/321/1888.html
seems when it blooms totaly diiferent,,
kasun

Sadly you do not have C vernus heuffelianus - might be vernus but I even doubt that.

Kasun and Tony,
I tend to say it is more a C. etruscus 'Zwanenburg'. I admit the style is a bit unusual small frilled. But this might be due to early blossom and still cold conditions.
Also 'Zwanenburg' is often a cheap 'impurity'...

[Armin]

One of mine:-
Crocus minimus.

Very nice David!

[Armin]

It certainly is!
The sun brought new crocus out here also:

Anne,
very nice croci clumps - you really bring sunshine and spring to us

[annew]

Thank you Armin. I think earlier there was some doubt about the name of our 'minimus'. Perhaps someone can remind me.

[David Nicholson]

One of mine:-
Crocus minimus.

Very nice David!

Thank you Armin, it came from Anne's List so I would be interested too if it has been re-named.

[Kasun A]

Is this   Crocus vernus ssp heuffelianus?? I bought from Netherlands with a picture shows just like this
http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/321/1888.html
seems when it blooms totaly diiferent,,
kasun

Sadly you do not have C vernus heuffelianus - might be vernus but I even doubt that.

Kasun and Tony,
I tend to say it is more a C. etruscus 'Zwanenburg'. I admit the style is a bit unusual small frilled. But this might be due to early blossom and still cold conditions.
Also 'Zwanenburg' is often a cheap 'impurity'...

Thank you armin,i think i should   complaint to them about this ,,

[Rafa]

Crocus carpetanus this evening.

[Martin Baxendale]

Thomas, here's a couple of pics of my "veluchensis" in the garden, a bit battered by the weather. They do look like they could be vernus. The flowers seem to have a definite waist, and they look very similar to the ones in your pic. I guess the seeds I got from crossing it with sieberi last year must have been from pollen taken to it by the bees from my many toms and heuffelianus around it. So just as well I've ordered true veluchensis from Janis.

[Martin Baxendale]

Since Tony got seed from crossing sieberi with cvijicii I think I'll try that as well as veluchensis with cvijicii. Sieberi hybridises with veluchensis, so it should cross with cvijicii too.