Crocus (Spring)

"missing species"

Species listed in our main printed list but not found below, have already sold out.

Crocus adanensis

A new introduction of a very scarce plant. This Crocus is still not common in cultivation and in the wild it seems to be similarly limited. It is found in Adana Province, Southern Turkey, in open woodland or scrub.

It flowers in March producing 1 - 2 flowers from each corm. The petals are pale violet with a white base stained with a little yellow six-pointed star. The outer petals can be silvery or buff with violet lining at the base. There are no difficulties growing this, only in getting hold of it!

Crocus adanensiscroadaada	£10.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus angustifolius Oreanda

The background colour is a deep and intense orange-yellow with exterior stripes and feathers in shining purple - an intensification of everything that makes this a good species but this is also vigorous and capable of greater size and increase, from offsets and from abundantly made seed.

Originally from populations found near Oreanda on the Crimean peninsula.

Crocus antalyensis Sky Blue

Proving to be an excellent garden plant this species is difficult to find fault with.

Dense clumps of bright blue-lilac flowers (in this clone) and a large orange-yellow throat, redolent of the scent of honey.

Those who know that it comes from Southern Turkey suggest that it is tender, those who grow it know this is a myth and that it is a hardy mountain species. It is grown as a field crop in Holland, and has been fully hardy here over many years. The clone offered was selected for its particularly good, pure, colouring.

Crocus antalyensis white forms

Both this and the yellow forms appeared in seed-raised stock of the blue form of C. antalyensis which was raised from a stock originally produced by Willem van Eeden in the Netherlands.

Erich Pasche knows the species in the wild and says that C. antalyensis is very variable in nature, so that blue is not the typical colour for it.

There is a similar situation in C. danfordiae where all three colour forms, blue, white and yellow are known in the wild also.

Crocus antalyensis whitecroantwhi	£10.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus biflorus nubigena

A variable subspecies from western Turkey with numerous, narrow leaves and flowers with white or pale blue-lilac ground colours overlaid with dark stripes or speckles on the outside.

The anthers are a very striking jet-black before they ripen and are notably long. The subsequent pollen is yellow.

Rarely offered and never common, but readily grown under standard Crocus conditions.

Crocus biflorus nubigenacrobifnub	£8.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus candidus Little Tiger

Brian Mathew, in ‘The Crocus’, suggests that C. candidus subflavus of horticulture is a hybrid plant. Seedlings have now been raised from this, in France, and come up in several colours.

Little Tiger, is one such plant which has now been cloned up. It is bright orange-yellow with very strong, chestnut-brown feathering externally.

Crocus candidus Little Tigercrocanlit	£5.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus candidus Lune

This clone represents the other extreme of the hybrids raised from C. candidus subflavus and has lovely, white flowers in the manner of the C. candidus parent but with the benefit of added hybrid vigour.

Both new clones will do well outside in the garden.

Crocus candidus Lunecrocanlun	£4.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus chrysanthus Uschak Orange

Smaller, but unusually deep, orange-yellow flowers with rounded tips and yellow stigmata. A different chromosome structure distinguishes it from other forms.

Slow of increase, making up for this with superb deep, almost orange, flowers. This is a true stock, but we warn you to beware, as the name is much more frequent than the plant!

Crocus etruscus

Very fine, pale rose-lilac segments inside, whilst the outside is cream. There is purple feathering on both the inner and the outer segments. Throat yellow.

Very distinct from the normal forms in cultivation and free of the virus that afflicts many of them.

Originally from Bastia, Corsica, at 1200m. This was the first record of Crocus etruscus in Corsica. Few only.

Crocus herbertii

Superb egg-yolk yellow flowers in February looking like yellow flames bursting from the bare earth.

This high altitude plant is found only on Ulu Dag and 2-3 adjacent mountains in Turkey where it flowers at the edge of the melting snows in Spring.

In cultivation it likes a peaty garden spot and a position in full sun or light shade where it will not dry out totally in summer.

This subseopcies increases by offsets and seed but unusually for a Crocus it also makes stolons with baby corms on the end. Increase is thus much faster than for many species although it is never a weed.

Stock traceable to a Gothenburg BG collection made many years ago on Ulu Dag.

Crocus herbertiicrogarher	£5.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus jessoppiae

A tough, dependable plant for the garden, where it flowers and increases well, in a sunny well-drained spot. Throughout February, it makes tight clusters of white miniature funnels, which are marked blue-grey at the base. Inside they have orange-yellow stigmata.

Unknown in the wild, but found in seedlings given by E. A. Bowles to his neighbour Miss Euphemia Jessopp.

Crocus kosaninii

Warm bright mineral violet flowers with purple feathering outside. Inside is a touch paler with a yellow throat. The flowers are borne in clusters in March.

This superb new species is tolerant of cold and moisture and ideal for the garden. A rare endemic of Kosovo in former Yugoslavia where this was collected many years ago, with the helð of Albanian shepherds and sharp sticks!

Crocus kosaninii CH.801crokoskos	£1.85		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus kosaninii April View

A new and even form selected in the Netherlands for its colour, well formed flower with nice overlapping petals and good demeanour.

A good form of an excellent species.

Crocus kosaninii April Viewcrokosapr	£1.25		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Crocus napolitanus

We have a new stock which originated with D. Husum.

Small and slender, deep purple flowers, early in the spring, with darker tips to the petals. This is a truly lovely little plant - the Italian mountain representative of the C. vernus complex.

Moist garden soil, needs little attention.