Crocus February 2012

[ian mcenery]

Not much happening for me at present just a couple

C pelistericus from a generous friend
C rujanensis - or is atticus ssp rujanensis?

[Janis Ruksans]

Changed my mind again! After some sun today, depite freezing temperatures its opened more and I am pretty sure it must be C.reticulatus. Seems an identical plant is shown on plate 260 of Janis's Crocus book.

Not easy to judge by picture only. Must to see corm tunics, I'm even thinking about biflorus. See yellow throat! (of course that is how I see it on pictures).
C. reticulatus (and its relative C. hittiticus) is the only species in which the outer flower segments are narrower than the inner (whereas in all the other species it is just the opposite). It can help to identify this one. But corm tunics is very esential.
Janis

[ronm]

Thank you Janis. When all is dormant we can get to the bottom of this one. I really appreciate your assistance as I prefer, if possible , to have things correct. Did you see my post re: istanbulensis? If I send you one later in the year would you be willing to identify it for me? I didn't realise that it may be scarce in cultivation. I know that Kew say they grow it.

[Janis Ruksans]

Thank you Janis. When all is dormant we can get to the bottom of this one. I really appreciate your assistance as I prefer, if possible , to have things correct. Did you see my post re: istanbulensis? If I send you one later in the year would you be willing to identify it for me? I didn't realise that it may be scarce in cultivation. I know that Kew say they grow it.

I don't know how widely true istanbulensis is in cultivation. It was one of very few crocus taxa which I hadn't in my collection, so I searched for it quite long. I got plants under this name from several growers, one of my friends bought it for me from PCh (PCh don't sell plants to me - question is - why?), then I got it from 2 other companies and all were subsp. olivieri + several samples were virus infected (inclusive PCh plant). Only last year I got from two sources in Turkey true plants (by corm covering sheets) and will see blooming this spring.
In nature it is extremely rare - known only from one small forested spot surrounded by rising Istanbul. Even there it is endangered, partly just for protection as spots (where only around 100 plants were found) are overgrown by shrubs and other vegetation not grazed more due protection. But I hear that now problem was solved by artificial cleaning of spots.
Separating of both subsp. isn't very difficult. Check at replanting corm tunics. True istanbulensis has reticulation in upper part of tunics whilst subsp. olivieri tunic fibers are parallel throughout. See attached picture. You can read about it in THE PLANTSMAN - 2005 , #3. Article of Osman Erol & Orhan Kucuker. There are differences in leaf morphology, too, but those are not so easy to check.
Janis

[ronm]

I am very grateful to you Janis for taking the time and effort to provide this information. It is most interesting for me. I'll check the coat at repotting time as you suggest. Thank you.

[ronm]

Lovely C.pelistericus Ian. Such an intense colour. Do you need to keep it moist year round?

[ian mcenery]

Lovely C.pelistericus Ian. Such an intense colour. Do you need to keep it moist year round?

Ron yes I keep it moist and in the coolest spot I have though I have not found it necessary as some growers suggest to leave it in a shallow tray of water over the summer. Its habitat in Northern Greece is high mountain bog which probably never dries out so that in itself gives a clue.

[Janis Ruksans]

Lovely C.pelistericus Ian. Such an intense colour. Do you need to keep it moist year round?

Ron yes I keep it moist and in the coolest spot I have though I have not found it necessary as some growers suggest to leave it in a shallow tray of water over the summer. Its habitat in Northern Greece is high mountain bog which probably never dries out so that in itself gives a clue.

I found that keeping in water-trays can be dangerous even. Instead of this I try to remember about watering once a week during all summer and up to going for winter "sleep".
Janis

[ronm]

Thanks for the advice Ian and Janis. High mountain bog, but probably raised slightly on hummocks etc? Sounds similar environment to many of the sundews etc. Looking forward to growing it.

[ronm]

Sorry, forgot to ask, but do you recommend a 'peaty' free draining compost? Does it have roots all year round? If it is bought as a 'dormant' bulb does it travel well, or is it better to find someone who can provide one in growth?

[Maggi Young]

Ron, our Crocus pelistericus are outside in an open frmae all year round. They are potted in a mix which is basically sand and leaf mould.
It is not difficult to keep them moist in an Aberdeen summer!

In these  conditions it is very hard to find even a short window of time when the corms  are completely dormant. They lose one set of roots and very shortly begin growing a new set.

[ronm]

Thank you Maggi. I suspected as much. I find the same with the Japanese and a lot of the Chinese Fritillaries to be honest. They can be aquired' dormant', but its a bit of a lottery if they establish. If they do then they are easy to keep going.
Really appreciate the information Maggi, as C. pelistericus is on my wish list for this year.

[Maggi Young]

Exactly, Ron... there are a number of Frits. with the same habit of hardly ever being without roots in active growth. The odd narcissus too... they do it to make our lives difficult, I'm sure 

[Tony Willis]

Thanks for the advice Ian and Janis. High mountain bog, but probably raised slightly on hummocks etc? Sounds similar environment to many of the sundews etc. Looking forward to growing it.

Ron,

no that is not the environment you envisage. In N. Greece it grows in a large bowl in the mountains with lots of run off from surrounding slopes and when in flower is quite often in a couple of cms  or more of water. On the higher drier hummocks is where Crocus veluchensis is found.

I do not know where you live but with me I have it outside in a shady raised plunge kept moist (mainly by constant rain) but not flooded all year round.

Sorry I see you live in E.Yorkshire which sounds very dry for this species and a lot of watering will be needed in the coolest possible place.

[ronm]

Thanks for putting me right Tony.
You're correct in that we are a dry part of the UK. However, I am prepared to put the work in to grow such a lovely species. I hope I can grow it well, to make all you're inputs worthwhile.