Crocus November 2012

[daveyp1970]

John is purple heart a clonal name and if so how can these differ?

[John Aipassa]

I have no idea David. I thought it was clonal, but the two I have flowering right now are slightly different, which exclude being clones. A third one is yet to flower, so I will have to see if that one is also a bit different too. Maybe it is a strain.

Maybe Janis can tell what the case is with x 'Purple Heart'?

[Janis Ruksans]

I have no idea David. I thought it was clonal, but the two I have flowering right now are slightly different, which exclude being clones. A third one is yet to flower, so I will have to see if that one is also a bit different too. Maybe it is a strain.

Maybe Janis can tell what the case is with x 'Purple Heart'?

'Purple Heart' is clone selected by Antoine Hoog, but in his stock there is some mix included of sibling with lighter throat. I tried to clean my stock and I suppose that I succeed, but if you are buying it from company which only are writing about growing of bulbs by themselves but really only resells them immediately - you can receive this mix of two clones. True is this with darker throat.
Janis
P.S. Just retuurned from another croco-trip, so hope in few days to start some crocus story.

[John Aipassa]

Thanks Janis for clearing that up. I like both of them, but the true one is exceptionally beautiful in my eyes.

I look forward reading your story.

[Great Moravian]

C. speciosus x pulchellus 'Zephyr'

You are the first who doesn't claim 'Zephyr' to be Crocus pulchellus.
I wonder whether the origin of 'Zephyr' is known.
Its habitus, flowering season and hardiness are identical to
Crocus speciosus, it differs solely in its coloration.
I considered it to be an apochromous mutant of Crocus speciosus,
because of its beige seeds, but recently Janis Rukšans described a new
variety of Crocus speciosus which is not apochromous and has
beige seeds and white anthers if I understood the description correctly.
'Zephyr' might be an apochromous mutant of var. ibrahimii
which might be a separate species because of the beige seeds.
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9528.msg256142#msg256142
The unusually strong winter killed my Crocus pulchellus, and
Crocus 'Oxonian' too, which is probably a sterile hybrid
and not Crocus speciosus, I cultivated it for forty years,
but 'Zephyr' remained absolutely untouched.
 'Zephyr' breeds truly.

[John Aipassa]

Crocus speciosus 'Lithuanian Autumn''s main feature: milk white outer petals.

[pontus]

oh no .. thats bad news about my ligusticus...

maybe that is why the flowers wont open fully even in sunny weather?

Yes, this stock was originally dutch, although bought from the UK.

What should I do with them? throw them all away or try and grow them in their pots separetely from everything else?

can the virus they are infected with easilly spread to other crocus sp?

good to know also about my feeling that the supposed pulchellus was misidentified (also originally dutch stock although bought from a swiss nursery..)..i will now re label them as late flowering speciosus..
Pontus

[Tony Willis]

Crocus goulimyi at Areopoli and
Crocus niveus at Pyrgos

[ronm]

Super pictures Tony, 

Are you still there?

[Gerry Webster]

oh no .. thats bad news about my ligusticus.........
What should I do with them? throw them all away or try and grow them in their pots separetely from everything else?

I advise you to throw them away. Even if they don't infect other plants, the flowers will never look good. Virus-free stock is available in the UK & North America though not easy to find; the only UK nursery I know which had a stock closed some years ago. 

[ronm]

"oh no .. thats bad news about my ligusticus.........
What should I do with them? throw them all away or try and grow them in their pots separetely from everything else? "

Personally, because they are not so easy to get hold of, I'd be tempted to isolate them immediately, and try to self pollinate them with the hope of getting seed. A long shot maybe, and not guaranteed to rid you of the virus, but surely worth a try, with no risk 

[Armin]

You are the first who doesn't claim 'Zephyr' to be Crocus pulchellus.
I wonder whether the origin of 'Zephyr' is known.

Josef,
the KAVB lists C. pulchellus 'Zephyr' (registered by Tubergen). So far as I know it was introduced by Tom Hoog. It was said to be a fertile hybrid likely a cross with C. speciosus. Due of the white anthers and yellow center it was considered to be more closer to C. pulchellus then C. speciosus.
'Zephyr' comes true from seed and crosses easily with C. speciosus that is my experience too.
C. speciosus types with white/withish anthers are often the result.

With the latest knowledge and findings you might have opened the door to bring more light in the dark of the origin of 'Zephyr'.
Would like to hear the specialists opinions.

Other then yours, it seems I lost my 'Zephyr' by the black frost from February. No flowers this season with me.

[Tony Willis]

Super pictures Tony, 

Are you still there?

Ron

home on Sunday,it is quite good but really too hot and dry so the flowers have been a bit sparse. 27c today

[Gerry Webster]

"oh no .. thats bad news about my ligusticus.........
What should I do with them? throw them all away or try and grow them in their pots separetely from everything else? "

Personally, because they are not so easy to get hold of, I'd be tempted to isolate them immediately, and try to self pollinate them with the hope of getting seed. A long shot maybe, and not guaranteed to rid you of the virus, but surely worth a try, with no risk 

The commercially available form of C. ligusticus is sterile.

[ronm]

I hope you continue to enjoy Tony,