Crocus 2012

[Tony Willis]

Some pictures of

Crocus pelistericus
Crocus scardicus

and the hybrid between them

Crocus gothenburgensis

 with in this case C. scardicus as the seed parent. Apart from being paler it is very similar to C. scardicus and the more lurid colours only come out in the F2 generation which I have not produced yet.

Finally all three together with the hybrid in the middle

[McDonough]

Tony, a most cheerful view on this frigid morning (0 F, -18 C), they're all beauties.  Someday I want to have a small greenhouse, just to have some winter blooming treats like the early crocus.  Is your Crocus x gothenburgensis the 'Tricolor' form?  Wonderful presentation to see papa, momma, and baby bear croci

[Tony Willis]

Tony, a most cheerful view on this frigid morning (0 F, -18 C), they're all beauties.  Someday I want to have a small greenhouse, just to have some winter blooming treats like the early crocus.  Is your Crocus x gothenburgensis the 'Tricolor' form?  Wonderful presentation to see papa, momma, and baby bear croci

Mark

a couple of points here,these are late spring flowerers and should have been out March/April but our strange winter,we have just had our first frost at -1c three days ago has confused them. Last week it was +11c

I think these would be okay outside with snowcover and a cool moist summer.Heat and drought are their big problems.

Although it is the same parentage as 'Tricolor' this is my own raising. I have several dozens of these and the cross with C. pelistericus as the seed parent.

[Tony Willis]

Some more in flower at the moment
Crocus sieberi from Crete
Crocus biflorus ssp
Crocus biflorus ssp crewii
Crocus biflorus ssp issauricus
Crocus biflorus pulchricolor white

[Tony Willis]

A few more

Crocus biflorus pulchricolor x C. chrysanthus natural hybrid
Crocus chrysanthus
Crocus cyprius
Crocus etruscus
Crocus sieberi Mt Parnassus
Crocus vernus

[McDonough]

Such a selection that it's impossible to decide which one is most beautiful; although my top 3 pick (it could change in a moment's notice) is sieberi from Mt. Parnassus, cyprius, and biflorus ssp. crewii.  Sometimes when I see photos of Crocus flowering under glass, they look over-reflexed with segments splaying backwards; a tad "flabby", but your plants look pristinely fresh with tight chalice-shaped blooms; do you keep your greenhouse as cool as possible?

[RickR]

An excellent array, Tony, and a perfect start to a new crocus thread!

Wouldn't it be interesting if your reverse cross of C. scardicus and C. pelistericus showed the opposite coloring: predominantly lavender petals with yellow throats?

[Tony Willis]

Mark my problem is getting them to actually open.I have it mild and no sun which causes them to elongate and fall over without opening. I often bring them into the house to open them and then it is critical to time it right so they do not open flat before you are ready with the camera. You will see that i was a little too long with the C. biflorus issauricus.

Rick,if only it worked on the reverse cross but here it is below from last year and as you will see yellow again. I have some wonderful pictures of the F2 strain raised at Gothenburg and these have a wonderful range of shades coming through. I cannot put them up as I do not have copyright.

[Hoy]

Beautiful, Tony!
Now I really am looking forward to the spring. Although a couple Crocus vernus/tomasinianus have shown their colour it is still a month or two till the blooming starts.

[Saori]

Wow, Tony thanks for showing us wonderful flowers!

They are all beautiful and it makes me feel like spring is coming soon!

I don't know a lot about Crocus species, so when I can see posted pictures showing both the parents and the offspring, it's fascinating for me to see how the plants come out. I like them all, but this one really caught my attention: Crocus biflorus pulchricolor x C. chrysanthus natural hybrid.

[WimB]

Tony,

a wonderful Crocus show   , love that C. gothenburgensis  . I sowed both his "parents "this year, I'll keep my fingers crossed to have flowers on them in 4 years, then I can make this cross in my own garden 

Here some crocusses which have been flowering here during the last month:

Crocus atticus 'M. Hoog's Memory'
Crocus korolkowii
Crocus antalyensis 'Sky Blue'
Crocus chrysanthus 'Uschak Orange'
Crocus versicolor

[Hoy]

Not bad those either, Wim!

All my crocuses are in the "freezer" now! -8C last night.

[Tony Willis]

Some more of mine in flower. We had a few cold (-2c) sunny days and the temperature in the greenhouse was over 10c. No snow.

Crocus bilforus pulchricolor/chrysanthus natural hybrid
Crocus chrysanthus
Crocus cvijicii
Crocus reticulatus
Crocus sieberi
Crocus veluchensis

[McDonough]

Tony and Wim, really nice crocus, and once again, my eye is instantly drawn to C. sieberi (Parnassus form), such a full and elegant goblet shape.  Wim, Crocus versicolor is a delicate beauty, another species I'm not famliar with.  One day I'll have to buy Janus Ruksans book, another item on my long list of things to afford-and-buy.

Unusually mild winter here so far, once again above freezing today, although predicted to get much colder again.  Walking around the south side of my house and yard yesterday, the cataphylls on a number of crocus are showing and swelling.
 

[WimB]

Tony,

love the "natural hybrid"...wonderful colour. And C. cvijicii is one of my personal favorites!

One day I'll have to buy Janus Ruksans book, another item on my long list of things to afford-and-buy.

You really should, it's a great book!

Unusually mild winter here so far, once again above freezing today, although predicted to get much colder again.  Walking around the south side of my house and yard yesterday, the cataphylls on a number of crocus are showing and swelling.

Over here they predict thawing for tomorrow, I'm looking forward to it!