Crocuses in Peloponnese - October-2011

[Janis Ruksans]

After passing of very eventfull season I and my wife Guna decided to take some short rest in "warmer corner". Selecting of Greece was not the best choice as we all the time were nervous about possible strikes on Airport, on car-rent companies, petrol stations etc. The last strike stopping flights happens just few days before our departure. It was my second visit to Peloponnese after three years, so this case crocuses were only "side product" for peacefull rest and watching of historical monuments. Our greatest problems was not strikes but my navigator, which sometimes offered "strike", sometimes voluntary changed destination point or guided to wrong spot.
After arrival we drove to Mystras near Tripoly where is fantastic small hotel Mistras Inn with very good food in restaurant (not so good wine as I would like). By the road there I noted several points with crocuses on roadside but not stopped there, leaving for future. We were tired and wanted faster to get hotel.
Next morning we started with driving to Castle on mountain top over Mystras. Unfortunately there I saw only this late blooming Allium sp. Forgot its name, but quite common species. And there we saw first Sternbergias and Cyclamens. But no one Crocus although 3 years ago there were plenty of boryi and laevigatus + few hadriaticus.
Then I turned back to watch crocuses sites seen yesterday's evening. Sternbergias and Cyclamen graecum flourished everywere. The first Crocus were C. boryi just on roadside and further in shrubs. Here some pictures of those plants. More - tomorrow.
Janis

[Maggi Young]

Ah, an autumn break.... perfect! 

[wooden shoe]

Very nice flowers, I would welcome more photos.
The allium is Allium callimischon ssp. callimischon.
Rob

[Janis Ruksans]

Many thanks Rob. Of course it is Allium callimishon. I was growing it several years ago but it isn't hardy even with me even in greenhouse.

Following road back after Alepohori we stopped at large parking where all hillsides where covered by Sternbergia. But as first another picture of beautiful Crocus boryi group. But approximating Sternbergias I spotted another white crocus supposing that it is the same boryi but approximating found that this is beautiful population of Crocus hadriaticus – generally all flowers where pure white only very few slightly violet shaded. There were something new for me. Earlier all hadriaticus seen by me had white, yellowish or brownish toned flower tube. In this population I found 3 spots where was 1-2 plants with deep purple flower tube slightly going up on petals outside base as short lilac stripes. Such hadriaticus I never before saw. I was very happy for those plants as 3 years ago I found only very few hadriaticus at only one spot.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

After checking of localities seen yesterday we turn back to South - to fantastic minor city - Monemvasia. I liked it so much 3 years ago (the picture accompanying my entries is made just in Monemvasia) that want to stay there again although hotels there are of double price than in other localities. We reach the place in good afternoon, so no more walking on mountainsides - to find the hotel (the same as 3 years ago), to buy a bottle of very good wine (only 9,- Euro) and evening meal in same restaurant, but this case we were very disappointed with food and half left on table. Fish soup was real disaster… Fortunately we earlier bought goat cheese and had excellent afterparty on balcony of our hotel's room. So good wine and party, that I searched for shop owner (shop was closed) to buy another bottle of same wine.
   Next morning we walked up to old city of Monemvasia. Three years ago there were plenty of Crocus goulimyi. Now can't find any one, but everywhere in abundance blooms Sternbergia lutea/sicula, Cyclamen graecum and Colchicum cupanii. 3 years ago I saw only very few Colchicums, some cyclamens and Sternbergias. Last hope for crocuses at very top, but again nothing. Only on way down my eye catched the first two flowers of C. goulimyi formed by shallow lying corm. It confirms that we are too early for crocuses here.
   After short rest we turn to Tripoli - Velanidea. I well remember localities were Crocus laevigatus grew in abundance and were very variable. Now there are no one Crocus but plenty with Colchicum sfikasianum, from which 3 years ago I found only 2-3 plants. It confirms that Colchicums blooms earlier and it is something too early for some species. But it is compensated by others - each stick has two ends.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

My last hopes for Crocus goulimyi remained for road to Velanidea - to pass over Tripoli. Three years ago there were plenty of goulimyi, laevigatus, not so much niveus and boryi. At very top we were greated by very strong wind and at first look - no one flower. I long walked through horribly spiny shrubs searching for niveus and collecting only prickles, scratchs, thorns. In result I saw only 3 buds of niveus and 1 half-opened goulimyi flower. At same time on higher side of road and roadside ditch my wife found plenty of niveus (3 years ago there were none). Between them were nothing special - usual whites or light blue variants. Finally in ditch I found 2 specimens of laevigatus, close by colour to cv. Goldback and 1 boryi. Unfortunately pictures of those two species failed. Those discoveries allowed for me to picture corm tunics to show the best way to separate laevigatus from boryi. You can judge it by attached pictures. At lower altitudes still no one Crocus started blooming, so we returned back to Monemvasia, to other very small and in this case excellent restaurant, and of course - bottle of wine on our room’s balcony.
Janis

[Lesley Cox]

Beautiful pictures Janis, especially the one of Guna with Sternbergias worshipping at her feet.

A wonderful richness of Crocus, Colchicum, Cyclamen and Sternbergia.

[Janis Ruksans]

Next day we are going to Stemnitsa - to see the place where three years ago I saw thousands of Crocus melantherus. I want to show this locality to Guna as this is one of my ostly loved crocuses. After some missing of road - my navigator started to mislead us and it takes some riving there and back before we found correct road in our direction. And again stop seeing some crocuses on minor roadside. The first noted were some specimens of Crocus hadriaticus. There I found large clump of vegetatively multiplied C. hadriaticus. It was bulldozered on roadside together with rubbish. Taking of large stone I simply picked up this bunch, hoping it will grow well with me and may be saving it from next coming of bulldozer to clean roadside from rubbish etc. Another phantastic specimen had dark flower tube extending on petals base - the best hadriaticus ever seen by me.
I all the time was looking for blue hadriaticus. I saw such plant 3 years ago but its corm where deep in split of rock. In previous days I saw occasional slightly bluish toned C. hadriaticus specimens, but nothing so deep coloured as I wanted. At this location I suddenly noted a lot of bluish flowers. Approximating they turned in blue coloured population of Crocus cancellatus subsp. mazziaricus. It is very widespread in Greece but nowhere was seen by me 3 years ago. In this population all plants where bluish coloured. Here both species grow together. You can compare on pictures their corms. I usually try to picture crocus corms in wild, where they perfectly show special features of species. In cultivation with annual replanting old sheets are taken away and not always is easy to se the length of neck, shape of ribbing etc.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

Deeper in country by small but very good road again stop seeing plenty of crocuses on open field side. Previously seen populations always were in some way joined with forest, shrubs. Here they grow on open hill side, many in roadside ditch and its sides and between sparse grass. Here together again are two species - in this case boryi and hadriaticus. Populations of both species seen yesterday were clean. Although there were no great differences in altitude, soil, both were in distance of few kilometres but in each was only boryi or only hadriaticus.
Janis

[David Nicholson]

Fascinating stuff Janis, thanks for posting

[mark smyth]

just like being there

[Janis Ruksans]

My target near very beautiful mountainside village Stemnitsa was Crocus melantherus. I stopped at several points driving up in mountains but everywhere were only Crocus boryi, not much, only few – approximately the same as 3 years ago. When we reached spot where at previous visit all was covered with white dots made by flowers C. melantherus, I happily stopped – all again was covered, even more abundantly, but when I stepped out of car… it turned “only” C. boryi. Same spot, same density but different species. It means that C. melantherus later replaces C. boryi – and the same happens in cultivation, too. Now in my greenhouse are only last flowers of boryi but melantherus are at their best.
We were short with petrol but there was no petrol station in Stemnitsa, so we are going further to next village. It approximates evening so in same time we are looking for some hotel.  I noted some nice country style hotels/guest houses, but petrol station is on opposite side of village and Guna don’t like returning, so after refuelling we drove further to next minor city/village. Just in centre there is nice new hotel, not country style and looks expensive, but there is good parking – not easy foundable on narrow hillside village streets – so I’m going ask about prices. Price seems ridiculous even for Greece - only 40,- Euro per person inclusive dinner and breakfast. Dinner was fantastical – huge steak with potatoes, traditional tzatziki, enormous portion of Greek salad, 1 litre of very good wine + sweets. For Guna it was far too much and much for me, too. And all it for only 40,- Euro (don’t forget good room + excellent breakfast) – Hotel’s name “Four Seasons”.
Next morning we are going to Olympia - to see the place where Olympic games were born. Just after Karkalon village again on roadside are crocuses – this case Crocus cancellatus but contrary to previous locality with this species where all flowers were bluish, here they are only white coloured.
Our road goes lower and lower and then huge flowers on roadside – phantastic Colchicum bivonae. Flowers were of size of largest garden cultivars – very variable by shade – dark and light violet purple with very distinct chequering. Up to Olympia there were no botanical stops more.
Janis

[anita]

Thank you Janis for sharing your trip with us. Your keen observation means it's almost like being there, and the insights you are providing into how the plants grow together (or not as the case may be) are great pointers to what may thrive in my garden. Although I've never been to the Peloponesse (they are on my "bucket" list) I know Sternbergia and C. hadriaticus and C goulimyi which thrive there do well in my garden half a world away so I'll now try C. melantherus and C. boryi (again! It thrived in the garden for two years but after last years wetter summer didn't show in autumn).
Again thank you keep posting! Anita

[Janis Ruksans]

At every village is small cemetery. On picture one of largest seen. The slopes are very steep and all more or less flat spots are (or was) cultivated. So cemeteries are very impacted.
The last bulbs before reaching Olympia were Colchicum bivonae shown on previous entry.  But in ancient Olympia everywhere blooms Prospero autumnalis (earlier Scilla autumnalis). Between billions of bluish purple – this one white beauty (the best white seen during trip) was growing in minor dot just on top of ancient monument.
After seeing of fantastic site and museum of Olympia we decide to go to Delphy. The road turns to real nightmare. My GPS navigator voluntary changes direction and before I catch mistake, we are driving almost 100 km to side. But stopping at some place where old terraces are covered by golden flowers of Sternbergias for some picture, I’m stopped by horrible smell of uncleaned public toilet. Looking around the source of smell was found at foots – Biarum tenuifolium were in full bloom. It remembers me visit to Acropolis in Athens some 7 years ago when we supposed that mountain slope was used instead of toilet – so strong smell of urine followed us. And then we noted the source – Biarums.
Crocuses seen on this road in next entry.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

   After passing around half day at ancient Olympos we turned to Mykenos. It was not easy to find this ancient city because my GPS navigator voluntarily changed target – so we drove some 150 km more than really needed. But may be it was not so bad as we found another white blooming population of Crocus cancellatus. Pictures are attached here. It is late afternoon and day is cloudy, so most flowers are closed and I found only one with something open flowers. Again in this population all flowers are only with white base colour.
   We approximated to Mykenos in complete darkness. After winding through labyrinth of streets of neighbour city Argos my navigator guides me in small village of very narrow streets and no idea where Mykenos is. Nothing left than to go back to Argos and look for hotel there although I don’t like hotels in large cities. In darkness I overpass the first turn to Argos, but there are several turns and I’m following the road and then accidentally large sign on roadside – turn to Mykenos after 1 km. Incredible – we were almost at point, but my navigator made current joke (now I returned it to vendor). Almost at end of village are small hotel where we got very good room for very moderate price. On opposiote side very good restaurant with so good wine that we asked another bottle to room.
   Next morning we again are passing half a day on ancient ruins. Here picture of entry gate in ancient city – Lyons Gate. Seeing gigantic stones I start to understand why building of those were addicted to mystical Cyclops – one eyed giants.
   We use another half of day for visiting Epidaurus – the place where medicine art was bourn by legends, where first doctor Asclepius worked and teach others. There again plenty of Prospero autumnalis and in total I found 2 white specimens and one reddish purple. As everywhere attached museum is phantastic as well as remnants of antic buildings.
   On way back we stop at pair of Mykenian bridges and there on very roadside I collected three white Prospero autumnalis.  We so liked our last hotel that decided to return there and to pass another night in it.
Janis