Crocus March 2012

[Armin]

Crocus meadows are marvelous

The one with the white style is nice.

[Viola]

Here reconciles pictures of Crocus napolitanus in Austria.
Karl

[Maggi Young]

Thanks to everyone for these wonderful crocus pictures. A joy!

[Armin]

Karl,
mouth watering view.
It seems the weather is much better then here...

[Janis Ruksans]

Karl, phantastic
Nothing so rich at present with me in Greece.
Janis

[TheOnionMan]

So many superb crocus in this topic, just had a brief look through to catch up, while on lunch break.  Wish I had time to comment on some of them, but I don't.

No spring this year, we went straight from winter to summer, yet another day at 78 F (25 C), supposed to get warmer this week, and the crocus are jumping out of the ground.  Just a few days ago, there was no sign of C. kosaninii, today this clump has approximately 150 flowers.  Now I'm findind first-flowering seedlings in the lawn too.




But my reason for posting today is to ask about whether a particular C. malyi form that has appeared from my in situ seed sowings over the years is worth selecting and naming. In the two photos below, we see a clump of C. malyi, the back portion of the clump are my original ones, the ones in the two slightly diagonal front rows are all mature in-situ seed grown plants, and they have enormous flowers, just about double the size than is normal.  They measure 3-1/2" or 9 cm across.  You can see 6 of the large-flowered ones in both photos, the more overhead shot gives a better idea about comparitive flower size.  I also grown cultivars 'Sveti Roc', 'Ballerina', and a form collected in the Velebit Mountains (small flowered), but none have flowers nearly as colossal size as these.

[Sinchets]

Maybe your Sveti Roc has been praying to whoever Sveti Roc was!
Flowering here Crocus abantensis is a shady limestone bed.

[johnw]

Simon

Your Crocus flavus SGST pale form2a is exquisite. 

johnw

[Sinchets]

Thanks John- it was lucky that it did not look as tempting as the albino form next to it, which was nibble in the night 

[TheOnionMan]

Maybe your Sveti Roc has been praying to whoever Sveti Roc was!

I don't know what that means.

Sveti Roc (also seen as Sveti Rok) is a more compact form with more rounded flowers:
http://rareplants.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=3484&strPageHistory=related

[Sinchets]

I was referring to a conversation we had a few years ago- when we were trying to decide if Sveti Roc was a place named after a saint- Sveti being Slavic for Saint.

[Maggi Young]

I was referring to a conversation we had a few years ago- when we were trying to decide if Sveti Roc was a place named after a saint- Sveti being Slavic for Saint.

http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5096.msg142367#msg142367
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5096.msg142380#msg142380

[zvone]

Hi!

Send picture Crocus vernus, that decorates my garden.



Best regards!   zvone

[Gerry Webster]

I was referring to a conversation we had a few years ago- when we were trying to decide if Sveti Roc was a place named after a saint- Sveti being Slavic for Saint.

Crocus malyi (AH.8651) was apparently collected in  Croatia - "on the  road from Obrovac to Sveti Rok" (see map)

[Armin]

McMark,
ohh - so lovely crocus clumps.

I adore you - I lost about 30% of all of my crocus and other bulbs planted in my raised beds this winter (all C. minimus, C.corsicus, C.medius, C. cancellatus, C. goulimyi, C. ochroleucus, rare C. chysanthus & vernus cvs., all reticulata iris, some alliums, many tulips+seedlings, hyacinthoides hispanica+non-scripta, galanthus woronowii, cyclamen coum, colchicum, sternbergia+seedlings, leucojum aestivum, narcissus+seedlings...)  
The unusual warm period of Nov. to Jan. forced the early growth, the 2 weeks lasting bare frosts in February down -18°C (no snow cover) killed all early stuck out shots.

Many I thought look o.k. 2 weeks ago turned to yellow and decompose as temperatures raised. Still green shots being stuck, show no sign of growth and I fear more losses. I could cry a river...

Many crocuses in the meadow show small, stunted and dark colored flowers...
The gene pool became smaller but stronger - I hope at least.