Spring Crocus 2010

[Hoy]

Sorry, Mark, I can't help you with a cultivar name. I know I have planted both siberii and biflorus in that area. Most of the plants are seedlings (of vernus and tomassinianus and different hybrids). My lawn is a bulb lawn. I can hardly put down my feet anyplace. And you know, the spring here is a long story starting in February and ending in late May!

Todd, I am not jealous on you! Though we can have snowfall as late as April it has not been common for many years now.

[Lori S.]

Snow only as late as April?  I hate to admit it but it's the norm here to have a week or 10 days of dreadful weather in April (which is the usual determinant of whether our pear trees will produce fruit or not) with snow and overnight lows as extreme  as -15 deg C... wonder what this year will bring? 
Still, I have to say that it's in the snow in June that really hurts!  (Thankfully, it only happens every few years!)

Actually, it's a bit spooky that we have not had our usual huge dump of snow in March yet... and only a few days left to go... (I have this ominous feeling that we are tempting fate...  )

Crocus season is starting here with a few individuals, earlier than we've seen it before... The big clumps will be a while yet.

[McDonough]

Nice start to the Crocus season Lori, they are such cheerful flowers, one never has enough of them.  May you be spared further winter-like weather misery.  It went down to 18 F (-9 C) last night, and this morning I actually touched and squeezed the blooms on crocus, and they were hard as rocks!  Later on today, it warmed up above freezing, the flowers were fine.  A dry freeze seems less damaging than a late wet wintery-mix sort of freeze.

[Lori S.]

It went down to 18 F (-9 C) last night, and this morning I actually touched and squeezed the blooms on crocus, and they were hard as rocks!  Later on today, it warmed up above freezing, the flowers were fine. 

Isn't it amazing what plants, and even flowers, can take in terms of temperature extremes?

[McDonough]

Three forms of Crocus malyi, my last crocus hurrah!

Observing Crocus species over the years, I believe C. malyi to be one of the very best for growing outdoors, providing a bold display of pristine white blooms that are more waetherproof than many.  This message compares C. malyi 'Sveti Roc', C. malyi 'Ballerina', and an unnamed form of C. malyi that I received from Jane McGary that looks more like the 'Ballerina' selection.

Cultivar         flower width      tube height   scent                    distinguishing characteristics
=====================================================================
'Sveti Roc'     5.0 cm              2-3 cm        none                     short stature, full rounded flowers, pure white
'Ballerina'       6.5 cm              4 cm           light melon scent     tall stature, brownish tube tops, long petals, outer petals with fine
                                                                                       purple line on outer tips.
McGary form   7-8 cm             5 cm           light melon scent     tallest stature, brownish tube tops, long petals, no purple lines

Photos of each are uploaded.  In the photo of the Jane McGary form, flowering size seedlings are there, and note one on the lower rigaht with rounder petals.

[Lori S.]

What an amazing collection of crocus you have, Mark!!

[Hoy]

I have never considered planting malyi but now I see I have to change my mind!

[Todd Boland]

Never heard of malyi...but then we have limited access locally to funky crocus species.

All of mine are now under 4-6" of fresh snow.....just as well with the temp down to -6 C and 50 km winds!  Guess it will be another week before this latest snow melts.

[Lori S.]

We're doing a little better than that here, with crocus blooming a week or more early...   No unusual species, but a joy for us to see, nonetheless!   

[Hoy]

Both the blue and yellow seem to differ from any colors I have. Have tried several cultivars to have early ones and different colors.

[Todd Boland]

Well it hit 16 C today and the crocus responded!  Here are some selections of C. tommasinianus...Lilac Beauty, Barr's Purple and Ruby Giant.  The Barr's Purple self-seeded in the lawn.

[Todd Boland]

First C. chrysanthus selection...Saturnus.

[Hoy]

There you see, you will catch me up, Todd. Don't think we will have 16C for a while!
The lawn seems to be green too.
The tommasinianus selections look like mine which I have no name of.

[Todd Boland]

More open today...C. X hybridus 'Jeanne D'Arc', C. etruscus, C. minimus and C. chrysanthus 'Advance'

[McDonough]

Todd, I liked the Lilac Beauty, one I'm not familiar with, it is a beauty.  Always like seeing C. etruscus, such a classic shape and coloration on this one.  I have tried C. minimus, purchased at Home Depot in discount bonus-sized packages (Home Depot; a large "big box" home improvement chain for those unfamiliar with it), but they are not true to name, so I'm glad to see your photo which looks like the real thing.