Dear Anthony;
We do have cruel winters and not enough break for premature
mid-winter bloom. I'll look forward to eventual mastery of Cc.
baytopiorum, cvijicii and gargaricus.
Your account of the C. sieberi variations sound eminently
reasonable. A litle difference means a lot since 'Firefly' and
'Trcolor' do quite well.
Our hot summers may be even more beneficial to C. sativus and
goulimyi than you think. When happy they flower and multiply with
some vigor in the more protected city situation. C. sativus survives
in my sub-rural garden, but is neither reliable about blooming or
quick to multiply. C. goulimyi has been more vexing- simply not
establishing anywhere. I may have to try both in a drier site
I won't see either C. tomasinianus until March and same for
C. sieberi atticus assuming they survived the drought.
Mention should be made of the "Large Dutch Group' ('Jeane
d'Arc' 'Pickwick', 'Yellow Mammoth' etc.)or whatever they are called.
Sometimes listed as "hybrids' they may be a mix of hybrids and
selections (do these all involve C. vernus?), but all are easy here.
Large brightly colored and easy except for edibility. I may have
'solved' some of this edibility problem by planting a small sloped
area with lots of crocus mixed with lots of narcissus. Maybe 500 of
each. The inedibility of the daffodils may confuse the potential
diners so they avoid the tasty crocus. See what spring brings.
These's a great world of crocus 'out there' but really little
about suitability to specific area or so it would seem from the
dollars wasted on vole snacks. Does that stop me?
Best Jim W.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
E-fax 419-781-8594
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +