Botanical crocuses bloom earlier than the tall bloomed ones, they are smaller, but are very generous and I find their beauty more enchanting. They usually have subtle graduations in colours and veining, the taller and more showy ones lack.
Mine started blooming about 3 weeks earlier than normal, even though they get no sun yet in my shady garden.
This one is called Violet queen (?). Picture taken last week
Anther view of the same
The colour actually is more pinkish that the pictures above show.
This is visible in this last years picture when the sun was reaching it.
(it bloomed then much later in the year, that's why it got some sun)
This message was edited Feb 8, 2007 5:47 PM
This was taken today! Winter finally arrived here !
I don't know this one's ID. But hope to find out later when it starts opening up.
Brrrrrr... it looks as if they're trying to warm each other!
Lovely bonitin, we are having snow now too, not settling much, it was 0C here in the middle of the day but snowing, it often snows at around 4C.
I searched for your C Violet Queen, it seems C tommasinianus hybrids or C vernus are being sold as that according to this article
http://www.plantbuzz.com/RockGard/Bulbs/Crocus/2_2-color_crocus.htm
I found a pic of Violet Queen, scroll down the page.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/5012/10887.html?1124777237
I had some open on the 1st February, some yellow, one Flower Record, and I have a small group of a self set which is very delicate. It started with one and has increased, a very pale purple-pink. The camera has trouble with it, last year I found it impossible to get a good pic and this year is the same. It's almost as if it has an ultra violet colour band, or reflecting it, it always blurs and has a bright illuminated edge to it. This is perhaps the best I have ever got of it, taken after 4pm as the sun was getting low. The colour is fairly accurate.
Nice species bulbs ya'll. I always enjoy those better than the hybrids. Keep those photo's a comin'! =)
I have to say I enjoy them both, species I do love but I have some gorgeous hybrids!
I had some C. chrysanthus var. fuscotinctus open on the 1st too, only got a good pic of one in bud. I do have pics of others from last year, these are early.
great color on all of these--different from the normal hybrids. =)
Thanks Wallaby,
I looked at the links you gave but the 'violet queen' s in them don't correspond with mine. I went for a search myself but couldn't find any similar. I bought it 2 years ago in a garden centre, but the package only said 'botanical crocuses'.
Mine has very elongated and pointed petals different from the more rounded of the pictures of 'Violet Queen'.
I like the delicate little crocuses in your first picture.
I also like, but less, the yellow one's. Problem with Yellow is that is easily over shout all the other, more subtle coloured ones. But when you have a big space, it is easy to find a place where they don't overrule and yellow is a warm and happy colour to lift up the spirits in the dark period of the year.
It looks like King Winter only came for a very short visit. Temperatures have risen again and all the snow is gone.
dmj1218, do you also grow crocuses in your warmer climate zone ?
Here is a picture that illustrates the pointy shape of my crocus which doesn't seem to be the violet queen.
This message was edited Feb 9, 2007 2:50 PM
And here is one of still the same, but in a more open state.
This year, my crocuses have suffered from the snow and the excessive wetness of the soil. Also the lack of sun might have affected their spirits. Today, many of them have collapsed and they look rather sad. But there are still many buds that emerge, so I should not despair.
I still have a lot of pictures from last year, so I will post some of them.
This one is Crocus tommasinianus (I think)
This one I think is another variety of the tommasinianus
And this is one of my favorites 'Blue Pearl'
Another view of the 'Blue Pearl'
I think these might be two different varieties of the tommasinianus
Please Wallaby, show us your gorgeous hybrids you love.
Beautiful, I like the last one of C tommasinianus, it could be Whitewell Purple.
Some species here, not very good pics.
http://www.broadleighbulbs.co.uk/plantlistpages/crocus.htm
I think your bi-colour one is C tommasinianus var. rosea
http://www.hythe-alpines.co.uk/Bulbs.htm
Some look so similar to C tommasinianus varieties look at this one VERNUS var. SCEPUSIENSIS on the above site.
I had one of C Flower Record open on the 1st, when they get going they are brilliant.
Oh, you know I'm totally with you on loving those little species crocuses! I've planted loads of the tommies, mostly 'Ruby Giant' but also a few 'Whitewell Purple' (wonderfully delicate shading on those).
One of my favorite early spring blooms is C. seiberi 'Tricolor'.... they're just so cute and cheerful! I had a few, but put in a bunch more last fall...
With this crazy weather, it'll be interesting to see what blooms when this year... I actually had my first crocus bloom in mid-January, just one, but I was quite startled by it!
Oh, forgot to post a photo!
Here's a cute pair of 'Ruby Giant' blooms...
No way bonitin! That's why I'm vicarously enjoying yours and Janet's! =)
Ruby Giant is pretty critter!
A group of multiplied Pickwick, Jeanne d'Arc, not sure hwat the purple is
Prins Claus
I think you're right Wallaby, about the name you've found for mine:
C.tommasianius var.Rosea.
When I googled the name, I came upon this site where they have a picture of it. That is the closest until now.
http://themeadnursery.co.uk/listc.html#CROCUS
The second link you gave (alpines) didn't give any pictures, only a list, but perhaps it's my computer.
I like the combination of your Jeanne d'Arc with the purples and the blues.
They almost look like tulips. I suppose that these big crocuses are more suitable for larger spaces like laws in giving a greater impact, than the little and more subtle species.
Love your 'Ruby Giant' Critterologist, and I'm curious to see that C. seiberi 'Tricolor' of yours.
Here is one, I've planted last autumn, don't know it's name, but it looks different than the others I have.
I haven't seen one open yet, but this is the bud.
This message was edited Feb 9, 2007 8:11 PM
Another one of last year. The outside of the petals is very dark purple
And a last one that has more a kind of icy-blue shade and a dark, blackish-blue base and stem. (picture is not very sharp, but I don't have a better one)
That's strange, the alpine site has many pics, try this link enlarged
http://www.hythe-alpines.co.uk/images/Primula/Allionii/Crocus%20Tomm%20roseus'.jpg
I went on the srgc site and found a site with species, but the only pics viewable were thsoe that could be enlarged.
http://www.thealpinehouse.fsnet.co.uk/crocus%20pages/
There are a few pics in the Photo Gallery section
http://www.thealpinehouse.fsnet.co.uk/crocus%20pages/
C kotschyanus kotschyanus large lilac flowered form has similar flowers to the first of the last 3, not sure about the amount of yellow at the base.
I feel I saw the others somewhere.
I have C seiberi tricolor
Fully open
This is Princess Beatrix, I saw so many Blue Pearl being mixed up with this one, Blue Pearl has a much darker and larger blue patch.
Top view
Now it worked !
Thank you Wallaby, what a wonderful link. Never could imagine there were so many species. Even though, I still didn't find one that matches perfectly.
The one shown in the first link of your last post shows identical colours, but the shape is different. The petals of mine are more star-shaped, longer, more narrow and pointed, like the biflorus pseudonubigena
http://www.thealpinehouse.fsnet.co.uk/crocus%20pages/
How strange that your princess Beatrix looks so similar to my 'Blue pearls'. I suppose I'll have to re baptise mine to princess Beatrix.
Doesn't matter. It stays my favorite, although 'Blue Pearl' sounds more poetical.
What an intense blue in the C seiberi tricolor!
It looks like you can get the pics on thealpinehouse site bonitin, I can't! Only those which have an enlarge image link.
I got my Princess Beatrix from de Jager, who I found are growers but I haven't had a catalogue for a long time, they don't seem to advertise now. They did mention the difference, but I think so many people know the Blue Pearl name that perhaps this is what some prefer to sell it as, a much more popular name.
The secondlink went back to home page, there are some pic links on the 'About Us' link.
Funny, I can get that pic on an image seach, but stil can't get it on the site.
http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/image?query=%27crocus+biflorus+pseudonubigena%27
That's one way of finding the others!
I really like this one, it was in a free mix, one only, the flowers are large and so pretty.
Another view
A lovely selection everyone. Mine are coming up now - I particularly like the species but love any crocus! Awful weather just now has probably stopped them in their tracks, this was my fuscotinus last weekend when it was sunny and mild!
bonitin, I love your assortment of tommies. They are quickly becoming my favorite crocus.
Janet, that last one you posted glows- gorgeous!
During the mild weather I saw buds, but we are now on our 13th day of below freezing temps, which ties the 2nd place record for the most below freezing days in a row. Our highs have been in the 20sF with lows in the single digits and below 0 wind chill. We have a 4" blanket of snow on the ground, so at least the babies have some insulation.
Loving these little gems, keep the pics coming!
Hmm Neal that sounds too cold, we had -7C Wednesday night in the greenhouse, yesterday it was -1C (30F) at midday, warmed up a little now to 42F but feels damp and cold with grey drippy skies. This can't be helping your moving plans! We had some snow too but it's gone now.
That last purple one has a wonderful purple stem to set it off, and it really does seem larger than most I have seen. I wonder if it has a name.
I have Snowbunting, I know I have some pics of it open somewhere too. This was taken 17th Feb last year.
The open flowers, it has a bright yellow throat.
Mine are under some 4 feet of snow so I expect there is no frost in the ground at all...I can expect blooms in mid-late April! This is perhaps my favourite. Crocus sieberi 'Hubert Edelsten'.
Mmm, love those purple outers, with white feathering?
I got 5 Crocus heuffelianus from an ebay seller, they are growing and I can't wait to see them. It doesn't appear in the species list on thealpinehouse site.
I hope it has those purple tips.
http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/image?query=Crocus+heuffelianus+
Here is my clump of C. etruscus from last spring. I originally ordered them as C. minimus. I'm not dissappointed however, as C. etruscus multiplies just as quickly as the tommies. A friend has C. minimus but they are slow to increase in my area. However, I'm still in the market for the real C. minimus.
Beautiful colour! Interesting how the petals curve in a cupped fashion too.
