"Weedy" Crocus

totototo@telus.net totototo@telus.net
Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:19:57 PDT
On 21 Mar 2011, at 18:59, John Grimshaw wrote:

> A conspicuous exception is 'Yalta', a lovely selection by Janis Ruksans that
> appears to be a hybrid betweem C. vernus and C. tommasinianus but produces seed
> freely (though I haven't seen what its seedlings look like yet).

A reminder two other hybrids of C. vernus and C. tommasinianus are in 
cultivation, 'Haarlem Gem' and 'Vanguard'.

I grow all three of these, Yalta being new this year. IMHO Vanguard is simply 
too big, too blowzy, but both Yalta and Haarlem Gem are excellent in the garden.

AFAIK, neither Haarlem Gem nor Vanguard sets seed.

On 21 Mar 2011, at 12:32, James Waddick wrote:

> >Crocus vernus ssp. vernus syn. C scepusiensis Spring
> >Crocus vernus ssp. vernus syn. C. heuffelianus Spring
>
>  These are the same species of the Dutch Hybrids. I grow half 
> a dozen old cvs and none of these naturalize.
> 
>  They do make larger clumps and persist for years,but no 
> seedlings appear. Alas.

One of the parks here, Summit Park

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=48.446187,-
123.354117&spn=0.002473,0.004817&z=18

has clearly naturalized Crocus vernus in a grassy area. This park is at the 
summit of a hill (well, duh!), and the grassy area appears to get no artificial 
water in summer. I suspect the original planting is very old.

Of course, Victoria's Mediterranean climate with its dry summers is ideal for 
crocuses. C. speciosus and C. kotschyanus are naturalized at another site, the 
latter a far cry with its showy flowers from the miserable virused stock sent 
out from Holland.


-- 
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada


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