Crocus ochroleucus (was In bloom now)

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Wed, 07 Dec 2005 10:00:28 PST
Steve in (American) Georgia asked,
>Where do you live?  Where did you get your C. ochroleucus?  Is this 
>growing in regular garden soil?  I wonder if this plant is any more 
>vigorous than C. laevigatus?   Not many of the latter I purchased last 
>year have returned this year, we had record moisture here in Ga from 
>June-August.

I usually sell Crocus ochroleucus in my summer list. It is a vigorous 
garden plant for me, though I don't know about "regular garden soil," which 
could be just about anything! It's the most persistent fall-blooming crocus 
I grow, probably because it makes many offsets and pulls down to quite deep 
in the soil (the soil here is very friable) where the rodents don't get it. 
It grows well in areas that are watered about once a week in summer, but 
the soil is well drained. When I think of Georgia (the state), I think "red 
clay," which is quite different from the gritty volcanic soil I have here.

Crocus laevigatus may be more vulnerable to rot from summer moisture. I 
also grow it in the garden but it just hangs on owing to the cold winters 
here; it's better suited to warmer climates such as where Mary Sue Ittner 
lives. Both she and I have dry summers and very wet winters.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA



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