Fall Crocus
Jane McGary (Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:43:09 PDT)
Johb Grimshaw wrote from England,
I am particularly fond of Crocus pulchellus, with dainty pale blue
flowers enlivened by a golden ring in the centre. It is persistent
and vigorous here, growing well in thin turf under trees and is even
self-sowing quite well in my parents' lawn. The white form is lovely
and I particularly like of the almost grey - or mother-of-pearl
-clone 'Zephyr', though I think this is a hybrid with C. speciosus.
It gives white seedlings like C. pulchellus 'Albus' though.
I also had the experience of C. pulchellus seeding into the lawn at
my garden in the Cascade foothills of Oregon. Another very good clone
is 'Inspiration', with larger than typical flowers. I wonder if it's
also a C. speciosus hybrid?
In that same garden, C. goulimyi barely survived the winter outdoors,
never flowering after the first year, though very good in the bulb
frame. Theoretically that is a Zone 7 area. I may try it outdoors
here once I get the rock garden built. At present it's all in the
raised beds in the new bulb house.
I'm sure crocuses are more winter-hardy in turf, where they're
insulated to some extent against frost and (at least in areas like
this where grass grows in winter) the grass may use up some of the moisture.
Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA