Colchicums autumn 2007

[Carlo]

Would this qualify as "hose-in-hose"? Certainly interesting, despite being abnormal...

[mark smyth]

I know it's very unlikely but could two flowers have initiated from one flower buds ie twins? Many of my autumnale 'Alba Plena' this year had normal flowers from the same bulb

[Maggi Young]

What is most interesting is that the lower flower has stamens. 'Waterlily' does not have any ordinarily.. if it were a true 'hose in hose' I would have thought that the lower flower would have simply been another, albeit perhaps, partial, double flower... that there are stamens in the lower part suggest something more complicated.
On another inspection, I believe I see stamens in the upper flower, also... very strange. Franz, might you check tomorrow to see if the 'ordinary Waterlily' flower has any stamens hidden in her petals? Since ours are not out yet, I cannot look at ours, but in previous years I recall searching to see if there were any stamens within and finding none. More than one aberration here?

[Kees Jan]

Hi Mark,

C. autumnale 'Alboplenum' has only single flowers with normal stamens in my garden this year. I planted 10 bulbs last year and seem to remember that all had double flowers in 2006 (despite being planted as autumnale album)! Good to hear you have a similar experience with this cultivar though since I was slightly concerned that I was losing my memory...!

[tonyg]

Colchicum flowering a bit patchy here - its been dry for a bit too long.  Mind you last nights rain should have sorted that.  Here is Colchicum laetum.  This is (alledgedly) the true plant.  There is something rather bigger traded cheaply under this name.  You pay more bucks for the real thing!  RHS Bulbs list it as a smaller version of C autumnale which fits the plant I have.  I've added a pic with one flower of C tenorii for comparison.  Mark had a 'mystery' plant earlier which he thought might be C laetum.  What do you reckon?

BTW - have you booked yet Mark? ..... The only reason I agreed to come to Glasgow was so that I can check out all the forum regulars for real

[mark smyth]

well Tony I can say likewise for the discussion weekend - just for you! 

This is my C. tenorii with the very narrow petals and purple tipped styles and a comparison photo

[Kees Jan]

What is most interesting is that the lower flower has stamens. 'Waterlily' does not have any ordinarily.. if it were a true 'hose in hose' I would have thought that the lower flower would have simply been another, albeit perhaps, partial, double flower... that there are stamens in the lower part suggest something more complicated.
On another inspection, I believe I see stamens in the upper flower, also... very strange. Franz, might you check tomorrow to see if the 'ordinary Waterlily' flower has any stamens hidden in her petals? Since ours are not out yet, I cannot look at ours, but in previous years I recall searching to see if there were any stamens within and finding none. More than one aberration here?

I had a look at my waterlilies today and one flower is nearly identical to the flower in Franz' picture of an abnormal 'Waterlily'. Nearly all my waterlillies have stamens by the way...

[mark smyth]

'Waterlily' has a reputation for falling over very quickly. Is this right?

[mark smyth]

A week or more past a small box, honest, arrived from Leonid in Lithuania. Not knowing what I have from not I ordered Colchicum sobolifera. I must make a data base as bulbs flower in the garden or in pots. His bulbs were huge and about the size of a/my little finger. Mine shown recently are like twigs. How could he have produced such huge bulbs? I'll maybe knowck them out of their pot for a photo

[mark smyth]

I took another photo of both tenorii today. The one with long petals has very short purple tipped styles at the base of the petals

[hadacekf]

Maggi, I had a look at my Waterlilies today and any have stamens hidden in her petals.

[Michael]

That is another clue that Stamens and pistils are modified petals! Very beautifull. I like thjat coiled appearance!

[Anthony Darby]

Here is the first of my bulbs labelled Colchicum cupanii. [I now think this is pusillum[/i]]

[David Nicholson]

Very nice Anthony. I must try some next year.

[Anthony Darby]

Notice that mine is nothing like that shown by Thomas.