fall crocus

John Lonsdale john@johnlonsdale.net
Wed, 11 Aug 2004 15:48:04 PDT
<<Russell in Michigan wrote,
>All appear to be reliably winter-hardy here.  I know of a plantsman in 
>Wisconsin who winters C. goulimyi.

That's hard to understand when the ground freezes so deeply in the upper 
Midwest, and these crocuses start growth in fall. Does the ground never 
thaw during the winter? Are they somehow in suspended animation? How can 
they survive?  In milder, but still cold-winter, climates, repeated freezing
and thawing are hard on low-elevation Mediterranean crocuses.>>


Crocus goulimyi in a number of forms and colors has done well here outside
for a number of years, both in raised beds and the garden.  The foliage is
trashed by the end of the winter - frequent ice and snow burns it back from
the tips.  However, this doesn't affect vigor at all.  It builds up
moderately by vegetative means.

My favorite fall crocuses are C. tournefortii and boryi (and some lovely
hybrids between them).  Both tournefortii and the hybrids build up very
rapidly in the ground and also set masses of seed which germinates in situ.
Their color, ability to open in poor weather, extremely long flowering
period, and lovely lolling stigmas make them unique.

J.



Dr John T Lonsdale,
407 Edgewood Drive,
Exton, Pennsylvania 19341,  USA

Home:  610 594 9232
Cell:  484 678 9856
Fax:   801 327 1266

Visit "Edgewood" - The Lonsdale Garden at http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/

USDA Zone 6b
 



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