Crocus (Spring)

Crocus sieberi atticus Stunner

The type species grows on Mt Vardousia, near Mt Parnassus in Greece, in light spruce woodland with Platanthera at over 1,050 m. In these colonies one patch was notable for its very broadly expanded stigma.

This is what is stunning about this plant, although the rich violet-indigo petals and strongly contrasted orange-yellow throat are also pretty stunning.

A lovely clone, destined to join tricolor and Bowles White in the top rank of sieberi clones. Garden is fine for this one too!

Crocus sieberi atticus Stunnercroattstu	£5.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus sieberi atticus Vardousia

Raised from seed of the population found at Vardousia from which Stunner was cloned.

Garden tolerant bunches of superb, large, violet flowers with a deep yellow throat. Despite the literature atticus is not always a plant of the lowlands as this strong, cold tolerant stock demonstrates.

Crocus sieberi atticus Vardousiacroattvar	£3.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus sieberi nivalis

This Greek mountain plant has violet-blue flowers with a small, deep yellow throat and in most flowers there is no white at all in evidence.

Crocus sieberi nivalis can be separated from its relatives s. atticus and s. sublimis as it lacks any hairs in the throat. In addition it has a finely fibrous netted tunic. Unlike those two subspecies, s nivalis (as the name implies) is a plant found near snow in the high mountains, where it blooms as the snow melts in spring.

It does well in the garden in a well-drained, sunny spot and is very tolerant of summer moisture.

Crocus sieberi nivaliscrosieniv	£6.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus sieberi sieberi

(heterochromus)

The Cretan, high-mountain form with pure white flowers, golden throat and the whole of the outside stippled and finely striped in violet.

The best of all of the forms of this excellent species. For some strange reason it has picked up a tender reputation, yet in the wild this is a high mountain, snow-melt species which is well used to frosts, ice, snow and winter wet. Fully frost resistant and hardy here over several years.

Crocus sieberi siebericrosiesie	£7.50
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Crocus sieberi sublimis

An excellent large-flowered stock of this sublime pale lilac-blue, lemon-throated subspecies, sometimes tinted purple on the petal tips.

Pedigree stock traceable to 1000m on Mt. Dirphys, Evvia, the type locality, and thus 100% authentic.

Crocus sieberi sublimiscrosiesub	£4.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus tommasinianus Eric Smith

A robust pure white form, with just a hint of purple pin-prick dotting on the outside, visible at close range only. This clone is doubly unusual in frequently having eight petals instead of the usual six in larger corms.

Easily please, out in the garden, in half shade or sun, in a reasonably fertile soil.

Crocus vernus albiflorus Delnice

This lovely species carpets the grasslands of the low Alps throughout the spring with small but tough white chalices, varyingly stained or striped purple at the base.

We have a stock raised from a beautiful wild population that is vigorous and disease free. Slovenia, originally near Delnice, in pastures at 350m altitude, 1982.

Crocus vernus albiflorus Delnicecroalbdel	£2.80		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vernus albiflorus purple tips

Attractive, creamy white flowers with just a tiny tip of purple to the petals.

A selection from Delnice seedlings.

Crocus vernus albiflorus Stripes

This appeared in a seedling stock of Delnice albiflorus and has purple outers and white inners, which themselves have a thin purple line along their length.

A charming a distinct variant from a stock that has proven to be very good in gardens.

Crocus vernus albiflorus Stripescroalbstr	£2.80		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vernus Drina Marvel

A superb form with intense and deep, mineral violet, (think Methylated Spirits) conical flowers in early spring.

A selection of what used to be called heufellianus, easy in a moist, well drained spot outside.

Crocus vernus Drina Marvelcroverdri	£3.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vernus Krasno Polje

This fine form was originally found in the Velebit Planina of Croatia, at 850m in 1989. This is a nice dark one, late to flower with lovely deep, rich violet flowers, all of which have a deeper violet tube.

This feature may not sound notable - it is rarely seen in Crocus but is very beautiful when it is. As well as good colour, this plant has a very hardy temperament.

Crocus vernus Krasno Poljecroverkra	£3.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vernus Michaels Purple

Many of the purple strains of the species have petals which fade to white or pale violet below the darker tip, however Michael’s Purple has strongly coloured purple flowers with an even darker tip.

A very fine garden plant, happy in a damp spot and tolerating light shade.

Crocus vernus Michaels Purplecrovermic	£3.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vernus Uklin Strain

Originally found on the Uklin Pass of Ukraine, this is a seed-raised strain from seedlings of the original!

A classic dwarf, spring-flowering vernus with strong flowers in shades of pale to deep violet. Almost all have a lovely contrasting dark mark at the top of the petals. Only one colour form is shown.

Crocus vernus Uklin Straincroverukl	£2.80		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vitellinus

Received from Maurice Boussard as graveolens, he in turn received it from Pere Paul Mouterde a long time ago. Mouterde thought it probably was a form of C. vitellinus but was not convinced these two should be treated as different species anyway. The differences are the fainter perfume and slightly later flowering time of vitellinus.

Broad-petalled, vivid yellow flowers each of which has a distinct orange zone in the throat around yellow anthers and a divided orange style. The flowers are marked lightly with bronze feathering outside.

Easy and vigorous in the garden.

Crocus vitellinuscrovitvit	£3.50		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Crocus vitellinus White

In fact it would be more accurate to say “white suffused with lilac” but this is a gorgeous plant, white-petals, yellow orange in the throat and spickled with tiny dots of violet all over the outside of the outer petals.

It is very hard to believe that this and the above are the same plant, but in flower shape, structure and corm tunic they are the same which is to be expected as this is a clone selected from a single seedling of the Mouterde stock. Generally seedlings of this are variable in shades of yellow. This is a particularly nice one, an unusual colour for Crocus, a gorgeous new introduction and as is often the case there are not many this first year.

Crocus vitellinus Whitecrovitwhi	£7.00		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
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