Colchicums autumn 2007

[ashley]

That 'Harlekijn' is great Mark.

[mark smyth]

Yes it is Ashley. One day there will be enough to share

Maggi I sneaked home again today to smell test Colchicums. I dont detect it but will try gaian later. 22C here today

[mark smyth]

Last November you may remember I had a white Colchicum cupanii that Henrick was first in line for a bit. Today it popped in to my head and as it's not in flower with the rest it may be among those eaten by the wood lice.

[hadacekf]

A few more Colchicums from my meadow.

C. tenorii is a nice species from Italy with crimson colour of the stigmatic crook.

C. speciosum is a popular species native to Turkey and the Caucasus where it are flowering in meadow to thousands.

C. bivonae is a variably handsomely tessellated species.

C. bivonae and C. speciosum

Colchicum sp. and a leaf of C. speciosum.

[mark smyth]

I love seeing the bulbs pokong up throught your meadow. What's the little Colchicum? Is the purple Colchicum
C.-bivonae-7.jpg actually that dark?

[mark smyth]

I'm going to bore you all with mine again because they are getting better by the day.

but first of Ian's tessellated hybrid is almost over now but it had a good run. I first photographed in on August 12th 27 days ago!!

C. speciosum 'Album' is now out. It's one of my favourites due to it's purity. Some flowers have been dotted with hover/dronefly droppings

My C. tenorii is at it's peak now. And below is it beside one of Ian's tessellated hybrids

Next comes an unknown Colchicum. I'm sure there is a label among the bulbs

[mark smyth]

autumnale 'Alba Plena' looks great wide open.

Butterflies were feeding on the Colchicums today something I havent seen before

A couple of photos of pin striped C. cupanii

and lastly the strange chameleon 'Harlekijn'

[David Nicholson]

Lovely show Mark, I like the speciosum alba in particular. Now that I have a dedicated bulb bed I shall try some Colchicums next year.

[mark smyth]

David go to your local garden centre when Colchicum time is over, They will have flowered in their bags and you'll get them for very little. That's how I got my speciosum 'Album'

[hadacekf]

Mark,
C.-bivonae-7.jpg - it is so dark!

[mark smyth]

one word - wow!

[mark smyth]

I'm wondering if my Colchicum that is labelled tenorii may be graecum or laetum? I remember having these and moving them in to the sun. Here is the group taken today from two slightly different angles

[Maggi Young]

They do appear to have the red colour on the crook of the stigma, as Franz says, though, don't they?
petals look different, but perhaps variation?

[mark smyth]

yes but it's the length of the petals. What I will do later is pull two apart and take photos

[tonyg]

Older flowers - longer petals?  Are they like crocus - every time they open and close the flower grows a bit longer?  It might be C. laetum but looks larger than the form that I grow.  Lovely to see them flowering in the sunshine!