TOW Crocus Species
James Waddick (Mon, 03 Feb 2003 07:44:14 PST)

Dear Tony;
Thanks so much for your Crocus intro. I love it when there is
an opinionated discussion based on experience. Also somewhat
discouraging in regard to all that you can grow in the UK compared
with my climatic challenge.

I was sorry that you didn't mention one of my favorites,
Crocus ancyrensis which has just started to bloom in a protected
site. It is just appearing in less protected sites. This is a very
cheap crocus and available everywhere. I love it because it is always
the first to bloom and therefore 'The Best " (at least that week). It
seem less tasty to critters that seem to love the exotic flavors of
far more expensive species. Seems to be a very sturdy plant and I
wouldn't be without it. Small flowers might be overpowering if larger
and equally 'bright'.

I just wish Crocus tommasinianus were as weedy here as you
mention. It holds its own and critters seem to eat as many as fast as
it multiplies. Viewed individually I love the way the flower colors
shade from darker to lighter - a lovely wash of suffused color. None
of the garish brightness found in some other common species.

And we agree on Crocus banaticus. Always a fall wonder where
most fall crocus have failed (C. speciosus hangs on, but does not
multiply enough to encourage planting more). I grow mine in damp
shade where it modestly seeds around and has yet to miss fall bloom.
Would love to get the alba form one of these years.

Another reliable species C. sieberi has proved best in the cv
'Firefly' and 'Tricolor', but I wish 'Bowles White' or 'Herbert
Edelstein' were nearly as permanent. Seems the pricier the corm the
faster it get's eaten.

I have tried dozens of others, and keep a few hanging on in
pots in a cold frame, but inevitably once in the ground they either
succumb to rodents or weather.
Although I am confounded. I grew Crocus goulimyi in my inner
city garden where it bloomed reliably and in my current sub-sub-urban
garden I cannot get it to grow at all. A lovely wistful thing in
bloom. Crocus sativus does/did likewise. Obviously I need to find a
happier site.

Your article did inspire me to invest again, but I'll still
wait for prices to go down on Crocus baytopiorum and the gorgeous
orange C. grargaricus even the tongue twisting C. cvijicii.

Of course the large gaudy "Dutch Hybrids" persist with little
or no helping hand.

Thanks so much for putting another dent in the wallet come fall.

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 +