3 x Crocus ++

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Sun, 10 Feb 2013 12:59:46 PST
Dear PBSers,
	
	It is looking like a repeat of last year's odd spring season with wild temperature fluctuations and lack of rain.

	Since Jan 1 we have had a number of days in the 50s and 60s and nights in the single digits. Although we have had a couple very light rains to get close to our normal low rainfall January, we are still in serious deficit over the long term. 

	But today is a mild 52 degrees F and sunshine and the Crocus have begun to notice:

	Crocus sieberi 'Firefly' is first and most abundant. Followed by
	
	Crocus tomasinianaus. A mix of seedlings in pale to deeper purple shades, but all very subtle and lovely.

	Crocus ancyremsis. This is often the first of the lot and its bright yellow-gold flowers are a beacon of spring. 

	In the Misc. bulb section we have a few Winter Aconites in bloom in protected sites and Iris unguicularis 'Mary Bernard'  with occasional bloom after a warm spell. A number of early narcissus are pushing foliage and ever 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation' has a single open flower already. 

	Galanthus are in enough variety that some of the earliest are done and others just popping up. This is a genus that really warrants a range of species and cvs to give a month or more of bloom versus a few days to a week if confined to G. nivalis.  I do not profess to being a Galanthophile and do not covet the smallest of green dots or oddly shaped floral segments, but there are some very nice named cvs out there and not all cost hundreds of $ or £ each.

	Foliage is showing on a variety of things form Dutch Hyacinths to Lycoris to Leucojum. Come on spring.

	Of course another deep freeze could stop all this bloom and damage emerging foliage. Been there, done that. Meanwhile enjoy while the sun is shining.

	Best from Kansas City where it is also gusting to 40 or 50 MPH winds and makes it sort of unpleasant to go out and bulb watch.		Jim W. 



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