RARE BULB NURSERY. LATVIA
by Dr. Janis Ruksans & Liga Popova

An outstanding small onion that one can hardly miss in May when travelling through the volcanic plains and foothills of the Northwest USA. The up to 7 cm large heads, with the tepals gracefully curling outward as they taper to sharp points, are on up to 15 cm long scapes. Flowers variably dark red-violet to purplish. In wild on shallow, silty, clay soils among volcanic outcrops, here good grower in standart potting mix.

A slender, up to 1 m tall species producing a dense umbel of small but very numerous purplish pink flowers. A long lasting flower display in early summer. From Antalya area in southern Turkey.

Numerous white flowers, suffused pink on the mid-vein, in a dense head on a 30 cm tall stem. Early summer. One of the easiest of N American species. The stock originates from Walker Ridge, the North Coast Ranges in California.

Beautiful compact growing Allium from Iran (SLIZE-216). A large globular umbel among 2-3 leaves. Flowers pale purplish toned.

An extraordinary species with a huge (up to 35 cm in diam.), lax flower head of greenish-white flowers on a 50 cm high stem, resembling fireworks exploding high in the sky. Good drainage is essential to book success with it.

Similar to A. campanullatum but with flowers not spreading flat. Numerous narrow tepalled reddish, up-turned blossoms are arranged in open 2.5 - 5 cm heads on 15 - 22 cm scapes. Even dry flowers keep their purple colouring.

The urn-shaped, red-purple flowers with tapered and reflexed tips are presented on long pedicels in an open umbel on 15cm long scapes. A delicate and attractive onion. From gravely, clay soils on open slopes. Tepals of var. mirabile are lanceolate.

Very nice and dwarf Allium from very high altitudes in Iran, collected on mountain pass S of Hamedan over Ganjameh waterfall, at 3000 m altitude on steep slopes covered with small flat boulders and dwarf spiny shrubs. Good grower. On pictures it in blooms (cultivated) and in leaves as was found in nature.

This is one of the brightest purple forms of this variable species. Our stock is grown from seeds collected in the Northern Sierra Nevada Range in California at 1100-1200 m where it grows in very exposed conditions. In nature almost stemless, here nice heads arise on stems not higher than 15 cm.

This species traditionally has blackish-purple flowers in dense umbel and it flowers later than most of medium tall growing alliums. Offered is a very nice form, with small very dark, round flower-head on shorter (40 cm) stem. Collected near Of, in Turkey.

This nice Turkish species originally was collected by Archibald, Seisums & Stevens in E Turkey - NW of Tunceli to Ovacik at 1000m altitude on openings among deciduous scrub on steep slopes. A relative of A. orientale and A. kharputense with 2 notably broad basal leaves. Hemisphaerical umbels of widely campanulate white flowers, usually with purple midveins on the segments, carried on sturdy, 15cm. long stems

Large starry bright violet-purple flowers in a huge, lax umbel 20 - 30 cm in diameter on comparatively short stem. Those are seedlings from plants originally collected (as A. bodeanum, what is sinonym) by Jim Archibald near Mazandaran in Iran at 2000 m altitude. Prefers well drained, sunny position. Excellent!

Flowers large, narrowly cup-shaped, facing upwards, purplish. In the beginning umbel is dense, later becomes lax due to the elongation of pedicels, which grow to different length. One of the most attractive alliums. Height 50 cm. Earlier was offered as “nuratense” or “iliense”.

It is one of those beauties which I compare with large A. karataviense group where large round dense inflorescence is sitting between two wide leaves almost at ground level. Flowers whitish with purplish shaded midrib. Collected near Tochal in Iran and carefully raised up in my nursery by seeds

Another nice dwarf Allium species from Iran (Elburz mountains - SLIZE-011) with big, rounded umbel of large wide open star-like lilac violet flowers formed by narrow pointed petals on 10-15 cm tall stem between two broad elliptic leaves. Unfortunately under this name quite often another allium is offered. Our plants are identical with description in Flora Iranica.

A beautiful dwarf Allium species from Iran with a big, rounded umbel of large wide open star-like bright and shining reddish lilac-violet flowers formed by narrow pointed petals on a 10-15 cm tall stem between two broad elliptic leaves. One of the most spectacular Iranian alliums of this type.

Small growing Allium from Turkey flowering in mid-summer with diffuse perianth on around 20 cm long stem. Very good for pots and for rockery.

The dense flower umbels on c. 20 cm tall stalks are produced in early summer. They are packed with comparatively big, narrowly cup-shaped straw-coloured flowers, prominently veined bright purple both on mid-veins and the margins of segments. Exquisite. From arid, serpentine mountains.

An excellent American species with many-flowered dense umbels of white large flowers with exserted stamens on stout 30 cm tall stems. From the Western Transverse Ranges where it grows at 1600 m on bare slopes in a very fine silty soil.

This form markedly differs from existing stocks in having bright reddish purple flowers in a large umbel up to 20 cm in diameter on a 20-30 (!) cm long stem, which raises the flower head well above the leaves. A true gem named by me in honour of my great friend and travel companion Henrik Zetterlund as subsp. henrikii but DNA showed very minor differences from typical karataviense, so name was changed to cultivar level. From Tovaksai, the Karzhantau mnt. range, E of Tashkent.

This Allium comes from Iran where it growth at altitudes over 2000 m and its nice flower head is carried on around 50 cm long (sometimes longer) stem. Although it something resembles A. jesdianum they are not close relatives. But both are good growers.

I discovered this unusual Allium species growing wild on almost bare shaly slopes during my first trip to Iran. I immediately understood that it is new species, and really, only 2 years later it was published by Reinhard Fritsch. Its name means "Onion from white hills". Regardless of harsh conditions in the wild, it is good grower in my collection, having very unusually shaped leaves. On pictures you can see its leaves, flowers and how joyful I was finding it.

Pale, raspberry pink flowers with white petal tips, each petal with a central darker stripe on both sides. Its dropping flowers are marvellous. Excellent miniature with stems 15-20 cm tall and comparatively large flowers for small rockery and exhibition pots

Charming American Allium growing in small colonies with 2 wiry leaves curling around and above the flowers. In nature on shallowly depressions on serpentine outcrops which are moist through the winter and spring, drying by early summer. The pedicels are very short creating a crowded umbel of campanulate perianths with spreading to recurved tips. The tepals are a glistening white with a translucent of green midvein that ages to dark violet.

A Californian species similar to A. anceps and A. platycaule. The most obvious difference is the habitat - vernally moist, rocky clay flats. Petals are broader and flowers composed in 5 cm umbels on 10 cm scapes. Their colour ranges from palest pink to pale violet, with rose pink dominating. Unlike its relatives the heads do not break off in order to disperse the seed

It is very rare endemic from Crimean peninsula, Ukraina (temporarily occupied by Russia), close relative of Allium siculus, but far more spectacular and not so high, stems reach 50-70 cm. Bulbs have very unplesant smell, but you can feel it only at replanting.

One more member of so named A. karataviense allies from Hunsan in Iran with denser globular inflorescences due much shorter pedicels of individual florets between 2 leaves and with distinctly reddish purple coloured filaments.

One of my real favourites between Turkish Alliums which you can’t to misidentify for its very small individual florets (~2mm) which are arranged in large very dense flowerhead of amazing appearance, resembling small pussy-cat. Height can vary from 30-150 cm but my stock from roadside N of Antalya is of medium size – 50-70 cm tall and has pinkish shaded filaments adding especial beauty to this species.

This very rare species in wild was found on Nemrut-dag in Malatya Province of Turkey (there are another one Nemrut-dag near Lake Van) where it is growing on stony clay slopes. It is up to 30-40 cm tall with dense semispherical flowerhead, covered with white, occasionally at base purple toned flowers. Nice and well growing addition to any allium collection.

Excellent hybrid between dwarf A. nevskianum and tall A. sarawschanicum which appear between open pollinated seedlings of A. nevskianum. - intermediate between both parents in height, but with even increased large size of Allium nevskianum flowerhead. Good increaser and excellent for garden and large pots!

Narrowly linear leaves, a first prostrate and later ascending, thin scape, and large flowers showing a very specific broad shape of tepals characterize this small species. Allium oreophilum is a very variable species concerning stature of the plants, shape and colour of leaf. Flowers generally are very bright reddish purple, although between my seedlings rarely appear individuals with very soft light pink flower colour. Offered stock is very dwarf and with brightest colour. Certainly worth of cultivars name. Flowers tested as food had a very pleasant taste and are useful as spice.

A dwarf “tumbleweed” allium from Blue Mountains in Oregon with lavender perianths in 3-5 cm large, compact umbels of pinkish flowers on short scapes. Leaves prostrate, narrow, sickle-shaped. Very few!

Easy and could be growable in rockery and exceptionally good show plant for exhibiting in pots.A brilliant rose-red form from Northern Sierra Nevada in California where it is growing at 1800-1900 m altitude.

Very special form collected by me in Iran (WHIR-032) with very compact stature and even could be named as dwarf (especially comparing with its long growing relatives from Uzbekistan). It is so different that I regarded it even as new species, but this was disclaimed by Reinhard Fritsch. In any case it is very good relative of usually grown tall form of this species, suitable for growing in pots. Still not checked in open garden.

Very spectacular dwarf Iranian allium from the same locality where I found later described Crocus gunae. Its main feature is dark purplish filaments (from which cames its name). Flowers in dense umbel between wide leaves, scape only 3-5 cm long. Very limited stock.

Nice dwarf Allium species from NW corner of Iran (Azarbeijan province) where it is growing on rocky or rubble slopes and with pinkish star-like flowers between 2 thick leaves. May be enters very East of Turkey. Our stock grown from seeds collected by Jim Archibald.

A dwarf version of A. falcifolium. The leaves are distinctly narrower. The urn-shaped flowers have broader tepals with only slightly reflexed tips that are not as dramatically tapered. The flower colour varies from white to pale rose with a much darker mid vein. With age colour quickly changes to shades of rose-red to red violet often within the same inflorescence.

Beautiful dwarf allium (only 15 cm tall) with umbrel-like inflorescence as in A. flavum but composed from mauvish-purple overlaid with a bloom flowers on pedicels of different length

This beautiful Allium originally was collected in Iran, but its label was lost so I don't know just where it was collected and this obstacle not allow to publish it. Originality was confirmed by R. Fritsch during visit to my nursery. It has bright lilac globose umbels on 30 cm long stem, coming up from umbel of 4(!) leaves. Very good grower, but I didn't try it outside.

This beautiful hybrid between very tall A. stipitatum and A. nevskianum was selected by Lithuanian bulb grower Eugenius Dambrauskas. It has large and dense umbels on around 50 cm tall stem and shows excellent hybrid vigor being perfect for any garden and usable even for large pots. Good increase and well keeps its wide impressive leaves.

Another nice species for rock garden. Flowers cup shaped, with acuminate segments, dull purple, edged white. We offer a nice form from NE Turkey originally collected by Alan McMurtrie. Height 30 cm. Flowers at the end of June - July. Showy and easy to grow. Good for outside garden and pots.

A beautiful American allium from gravely clay flats: very wet at flowering time, sun baked in late summer. From a pair of bold, broad, sickle-shaped leaves arises a 10 cm scape with 7.5 cm sphere of pink, vase-shaped flowers.

Another member of my so named A. karataviense allies from Iran, which I grew up from Archibald seeds under name A. haemanthoides. It has long and narrow perianth tepals in large globular umbel between 2 -3 leaves and on 15cm long scape. Flowers pale purplish toned.

This species was published by me only recently. It has very limited area in "Russian" Caucasus, where is known only from 3 general localities. Earlier was regarded as very disjunct population of A. blanda although already in 1937 Russian botanist, great specialist of Anemone - S.Yuzepchuk expressed doubt about its placing under name of A. blanda. I was growing it for 40 years and all this time I knew that it is very special, but only very recently I had time to publish it. Easy separable from A. blanda by shape of its tubers, which are branch-like, not knobbly as in A. blanda. Good increases by splitting. If you prefair multiplying by seeds - must be grown isolat3ed from A. blanda abnd A. caucasica, because easy hybridise with them.

Excellent self-sawn hybrid expressing strong hybrid vigour, abundant blooming and large bright blue flowers. Blooms very abundantly. Was selected from seedlings of A. banketovii by its huge knobby tubers.

Another hybrid between Anemone banketovii and A. caucasica selected between seedlings of A. caucasica by huge size of tubers. Another excellent increaser and very vigorous grower. Flowers white with blue back of segments, something resembles popular selection of A. blanda 'Janis". Blooms very abundantly with huge flowers exceeding size of parent species.

I much liked cultivar offered by Dutch bulb growers as ‘Radar’, with reddish flowers combined with large white eye, but it turned poor grower in our conditions. When E of Akseki I found this beautiful form growing alongside with Crocus concinnus, I immediately collected it and when it turned good grower in garden - named it after my wife Guna (‘Gunite’ is diminutive, lovely form of her name).

Although by flowers and leaf shape this anemone resembles A. blanda, it has very different and strange tubers (you can see on one of pictures). It comes from S Turkey and I collected only one plant with soft pink flowers, progeny of which is offered here although I pictured at same place others with white, blue, violet flowers, too, but no one was collected because at that time I was not so interested in anemones. It is possible that wild population now could be destroyed because at my visit there new large damm crossing valley was under construction at its locality. Good increaser, beautiful colour and very limited stock.

Flowers of this A. blanda form is very rounded, not so starry than usually, By colour they are light blue, whitish in dirrection to centre, and resembles summer sky covered with very light, thin clouds.

Selection from Anemone blanda seedlings with very light bluish flowers, which becomes slightly darker during flowering. Very tender shade, what explains its name.

"White" windflower with dark blue floweers, named after "D Day" when started liberation of France and W Europe from Hitler occupation.

It is one of the most unusual varieties, in which the showy white flowers have leafy green centres, contrasting with the bright yellow stamens.

My Estonian friend Mart Veerus found this beautifully flowering form with small dark blue flowers in forests of Estonia. Late flowering, keeps foliage very long. One of the best in my quite large collection.

It is one of those mutations which appeared after Chernobil's disaster in forests touched by nuclear fallout. This one was found in Denmark and for its unusual shape was named 'Northern Star'. The flower shape, although can vary from season to season and from plant to plant, is more stable than in famous 'Explosion' found in Norway. Very exclusive offer!

Beautiful fully double selection made by Taavi Tuulik, named after historical name of Kõpu peninsula in Hiumaa.

To characterize all cultivars? - I don't think that it is needed. Their pictures are giving all information, which allows to separate them

Flowers fully double with adpressed small petaloids, in the centre a bunch of upturned green pistil-like petals; overall, the flower resembles a rosette-like candlestick. Named after place where found in 2005.

To characterize all cultivars? - I don't think that it is needed. Their pictures are giving all information, which allows to separate them

This variety was found at Nõmba in central Hiiumaa Island in 2008 and was named after Taavi Tuulik's friend. Flowers fully double but with smaller number of petaloids (~45) but here it is an advantage as allow to express the nicely waved edge of wide petaloids.

To characterize all cultivars? - I don't think that it is needed. Their pictures are giving all information, which allows to separate them

Driving through Turkish Kurdistan we suddenly spotted on roadside slope inside spiny shrubs this huge Arum with longest spathe ever seen. Being short in time we stopped and tried to collect few tubers - self-sown seedlings, lying not so deep inside those shrubs. They grew well in our collections, bloomed and set seeds and now those seedlings can be offered to other lowers of Aroids.

One of the most attractive Muscari s. l. which catches the attention of every visitor of our garden for its very bright, large sky blue flowers. There is no other species with so bright colour and of such shade among Muscari s. l. N-E Turkey, alpine meadows on marshy or boggy ground. Coll. at 2000 m, between Bayburt and Erzurum (BATM-191). Not difficult in garden.

This nice Bellevalia was collected in Iran, Zagros Mts., Bazoft valley. But it is growing South up to Israel and may be even Egypt. It has cylindrical racemes of white and light olive-green flowers attached to deep purple stem. Pedicels elongate greatly in fruit. Prefer deep planting.

This very beautiful Bellevalia was collected in Syria shortly before it turned to battle-field. It is very good grower and most likely will be named next season.

Lavander, pinkish or almost white, 3-4 cm long, funnel-shaped flowers are arranged in a lax umbel of usually more than 15 flowers held on a 30-40 cm high stem. For a sunny place in a rock garden. This wild form is grown from seeds collected in Tehama Co. in California where it grows in sparse grassy meadows in heavy, clayey but gravely loam. I place this one between the best American bulbs.

Large colonies of this beautiful violet-purple cluster-lily colour the grassy slopes of the Columbia River Gorge. The 3 cm large upward-facing flowers have a central ring of cream-coloured staminodes and stamens. The open umbels are on 15-20 cm long stems. In nature on heavy clay soils.

Forms 10 cm umbels of large dark blue-violet, funnel-shaped flowers with ascending lobes. Similar to the ubiquitous Triteleia laxa, but on much shorter scapes. From the northern Sierra Nevada, California, where it grows in red fir forest on vernally moist gravely flats at 1700m.

A smaller brodiaea with the perianth divided into a short tapered tube and 6, long, spreading lobes. The lobes are dark blue-purple. The filament appendanges in combination with the broad staminodes produce a white crown that encloses the exserted anthers. The 6-10, 2.5 cm large flowers are presented in an open umbel on 15-20 cm long, slender scapes. In wild it is growing in a heavy clay in a serpentine grassland. Needs dry summer conditions.

A dwarf species, 10-20 cm in height, something more robust than type subspecies. Grown from seeds collected on Evans Flat in Greenhorn Mountains, California at ~ 2000m altitude. Flowers violet or lilac, up to 2,5 cm long. Excellent for bulb frame or alpine house. Need vernally moist, gritty soil. Subsp. kernensis is more robust than the type form with more flowered umbels on 10-15 cm long scapes.

It is forming clusters of very heavily-chequered violet-rose flowers . This is one of the most intensely chequered Colchicums. Small blue-green leaves never becomes floppy. Recent genetic research indicates that this is an old horticultural hybrid between variegatum and autumnale, though it has long been accepted as a species. It remains an excellent, free-flowering, easy plant, making fabulous flowers and performing well in a variety of garden conditions. It is deservedly one of most popular Colchicums, but is one that has become increasingly scarce now.

Nice autumn to spring flowering colchicum with purplish pink flowers and narrow petals, giving to plant spider like appearance. Leaves come up in autumn, but even here very rarely are damaged by frost. From limestone slope in W. Anatolia, nr. Karaköy, Turkey. Offered for the first time and very limited stock.

This beautifull miniature autumn blooming colchicum is endemic of Crete. It blooms very long in autumn forming many nice light lilac flowers. Only problem is that you need carefully remowe all died flowers as they easy get Botrytis and it can contaminate leaves if not removed and this is dangerous for corms, too.

A new species, described in 1998 by Chris Brickell. Known from a small area of the Amanus Mountains in S. Turkey. It forms compact clusters of quite large, yet short-stemmed flowers in September with broad overlapping petals lightly chequered in pale pink-violet on whitish ground colour.

A small, neat, white to pink autumn-flowering species with a few glabrous, ligulate leaves. In ‘Flora of Turkey’, Chris Brickell includes the Turkish plants under C. troodii, described from Cyprus. This coll. is from near the type-locality for C. decaisnei in Turkey, Hatay province, between Antakya and Yayladagi.

Small but very abundantly in spring blooming Turkish species with distinctly hairy leaves. Very rarely offered.

Only some 20 years ago discovered species from S Turkey, collected by us W from Antalya. It blooms in autumn with up to 3 ((in cultivation - more) medium sized, light lilac flowers. Very nice shade. I didn't find any other nursery offering this beauty. Limited stock.

This nice early-blooming colchicum was collected by me in the Kopet-dag mountains a long time ago. Flowers are white to slightly lilac shaded with slightly narrow petals, but blooms abundantly. K. Persson regards it as a synonym to C. robustum, though jolanthae has narrower leaves.

Flowering time in clones from Iran and NE Turkey are variable ranging from August to late November. Apart from that, this species is fairly variable in colour, ranging from deep pink to purest white. Its great advantage in garden is very thick perianth segments making excellent bad-weather resistance, each flower lasting for 3 weeks.

Usually with purple-pink and white chequered flowers in autumn. It is outstandingly prolific and unusually variable in depth of colour here and occasionally between seedlings there appear some plants with pure white flowers. I'm not specially selecting this species by flower colour, so not ask me for white forms. It may be a long shot to expect whites from seed but you can hope. Flowers are borne in early to mid autumn. It is hard to over praise this plant. Likes a deep. fertile, well drained sunny spot.

One of the smallest Colchicum species but blooms very abundantly. It is forming soboliiferous, horizontally positioned corms, A rare Turkish endemic. Three to four thin leaves are made, with the flowers, in early spring. The flowers are slender and starry, and of a lovely pale pink shade with golden yellow or greenish shaded anthers. A perfect miniature, for alpine house or frame which due its habit spreads easily making beautiful clumps. .

It is my most favourite autumn blooming Colchicum species - small, abundantly blooming, with several very widely flaring, mid-sized rosy-lilac flowers and white-centre on short stems, close to the ground, early in the season. Completely hardy and good grower and increaser.

Just recently described (in 1999) spring flowering species with small light violet flowers and blackish purple anthers and dark base. Abundantly flowering and surprisingly well growing and increasing.Corms in some stocks are something horizontally oriented, resembling short and thick stolones, in others vertically positioned. Something similar to C. serpentinum, growing in the same area but easy separable by leaves which in C. munzurense are narrowly furrowed, 7-10(-12) mm wide.

One of the earliest blooming species (here in July) and I always suddenly realize that the Colchicum season in my greenhouse has started after a break in bulb blooming. Grown from material collected on Mount Parnassus in Greece. Forms clusters of quite large, goblet-shaped soft shell-pink flowers.

Autumnal, pastel-pink stars which are borne sequentially in clusters of two to five. It is delicate and tiny in appearance but tough for growing in pots for autumn exhibitions, but could be hardy. My stock comes from slopes of Karpathos Island. Common on Crete and other Mediterranean Islands of Greece For a well-drained spot outside, or growth in a pot or pan. This has an airy grace which sets it aside from any other, but which is equally difficult to define. Crete.

A rare species from Sarichinardag W from Antalya, Turkey. It is unique in having deep purple red cataphylls above the corm. There are 2-4 bright rich pink flowers made per shoot, in September. Good in a sunny spot or a medium sized pot under glass. I collected few corms under large Platanus tree at 1200m near spot from where I described Crocus sarichinarensis.

Beautiful light lilac flowers in early spring with narrowly elliptic segments and bright orange spots at the base of filaments and with black anthers (pollen yellow). Usually 2-5, sometimes up to 8 flowers per bulb. Leaves canaliculate, 1-3(-7) mm wide. Originally collected in Turkey, near Gaziantep.

Unique in its beauty and smaller size representative of very variable Colchicum speciosum group. So special, that it was not easy to accept the name "Colchicum speciosum" for it, and I still suppose, that it could be new, still unrecognized species.

One of the nicest colchicums, with 5 cm long, funnel shaped flowers of bright rose-pink in the spring, in small clusters which stick straight up out of the ground, with the narrow leaves. A “large flowered miniature” ideal for a choice garden spot or alpine house pot.

A dwarf spring-flowering species, widely spread from Spain to Turkey, but hardly ever seen outside of the mountain pastures that it inhabits. Three small leaves gives its name, and pale- to mid-pink, goblet-shaped flowers appear in March. These have black anthers, which open yellow from pollen colour. Excellent in a pot, good enough for the garden.

From gardeners standpoint all bulbous Corydalis can be divided into two large groups: woodlanders and steppelanders. Woodland species prefer peaty soil which never dries out completely and a light shade. They must be planted as soon as possible. If tubers look overdried, we recommend you to soak them in water for several hours before planting. Eastern woodlanders from Siberia, Far East, China are more susceptible to drying out than western woodlanders from Europe, Caucasus, Turkey . Corydalis solida cultivars belong to same group. Steppelanders or ‘bulb-belt’ species generally are sun-lovers and need dryer summer conditions . We harvest them annually and keep out of soil in a bulb shed.

Flowers yellow with a pink spur and a purple nose, one of the most beautiful and rarest corydalis discovered by me in Ber-Kara (Black Stream) gorge, the Kara-tau mnt. range at 1700-2000m. Easy growing. According to Henrik Zetterlund: “a plant you will never forget if you ever get a chance to see it”. Earlier regarded as subsp. of schanginii, but last researches found that it is completely different spacies although it can hybridise with typical schanginii

Strong, slender stems carry shallowly-cut, deep green leaves below a loose spike with 20 or so flowers. These are white to palest bluish pink with a contrasting purple nose and an upturned spur. Seem to be hardy here. Collected by me in Iranian Kurdistan.

One of those species that have changed their names many times. Several years ago I offered it under the name C. vittae, later as C. teberdensis, but the priority belongs to the epithet C. kusnetzovii. This beautiful Caucasian species has soft creamy pinkish white flowers in dense racemes. Collected near Teberda, Caucasus.

Flowers of a very delicate shape, light pinkish purple with a dark purple nose in quite loose but long spikes giving the plant a quiet charm. Easy in garden and even self-seeding. Collected near Oreanda in Crimea, Ukraine before Russian occupation.

A diminutive species related to C. solida with soft pink flowers tipped with dark-pink in the manner of pursed lips, the whole only some 10 cm tall. Readily grown in the garden.

I discovered this beautiful species in the upper reaches of the river Shing, Tajikistan. Flowers white with a blue stripe in dense spikes, one of the most floriferous. Initially was misidentified by me as C. glaucescens. Renamed after me by Magnus Liden from the Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Sweden, when was found that it is new, still unknown species.

Flowers very large, white with a long pink spur and purple nose, an excellent grower in a sunny place. Collected during my first expedition to Central Asia in 1975 in Kirgyzstan near Bishkek at 1800-2000 m on a gritty slope.

A species of unclear taxonomical position, considered by Russian botanists as C. subremota but regarded by M. Liden and H. Zetterlund as a subsp. of C. solida complex. Flowers bluish-violet, finely divided foliage. Collected by Baltic expedition in locus classicus near Krasnojarsk in Siberia, very far from Europe where true C. solida is distributed in nature. Great rarity.

This form (may be even different species) was collected growing side by side with Corydalis gorinensis on 2-nd “bik” (cliff) of River Gorin, in very remote corner of Siberia. It turned much better grower than its neighbour and survived in garden where it well increases and is slightly stoloniferous. Much divided foliage with good-sized spikes of clear electric blue to turquoise flowers with a slightly darker violet edging to the lower lip.

Named after my eldest grandaughter. Its dense spikes are formed from nice light bluish pink flowers turning white at opening ("mouth"). Very limited stock.

Flowers distinct violet-blue. Very compact, low growing, beautiful form. Selection from ‘Penza’ strain.

This beauty was selected by my wife Guna from my “new generation” seedlings and named in her honour. Flowers bicoloured – the spur is soft bright pink with a whitish back, the lips of the petals are light pink with a white middle part.

This very unusual seedling of C. solida clearly shows the presence of C. paczoskii in its parentage. Makes large spikes with very contrasting whitish flowers with an upright lilac-pink spur, the outer tepals rimmed bright violet, but the tips of inner tepals blackish lilac. Very special!

Although I declared that no more new varieties in solida group, this one was so beautiful, that I named it after our granddaughter Juna. There are still some very special of unusual colours under further propagation..

Flowers pure white with almost vertically up-turned slightly pinkish tinted spur.

One of the most unusual selections with really tricolored flowers – a true break in Corydalis solida breeding. The spur is light pinkish purple with a large pure white tip, the upper petal is nearly pure white with only a slight pinkish tinge, the lower petal beautifully light blue. Bracts slightly dentate, dark green with a narrow purple rim. Named after my granddaughter.

Beautiful and abundantly blooming cultivar with slightly lilac shaded light pink flowers in dense spike

A nice addition to the ‘Kissproof’ type with beautiful purest white flowers, lips of petals are nicely, thinly rimmed dark purple. Spikes are very compact.

We still are nameing some of outstanding Corydalis solida seedlings raised by Janis. This one is the very brightest red ever seen, may be ZWANENBURG could something compete, but Royal Red is faster increaser and better grower with us.

Huge and dense spikes of snow-white throughout flowers on red pedicels. Very attractive and abundantly blooming selection from materrial collected wild in Roumania. Blooms very early, one of the earliest "whites".

One of the most dramatically coloured Corydalis in my collection attracting attention of all visitors from a very far distance with its unusually bright luminous scarlet red colour. It is a selection from ‘Prasil’ strain, received by me personally as a single tuber from the late Michael Hoog in 1991, and he gave me it “as the greatest treasure” of his collection. Up to rising of SPRINTER by Juris Egle it undoubtedly was the brightest red cultivar.

In this Monograph are results of my more than 50 years long experience growing crocuses and in it is included descriptions of all 235 species of crocuses known at 1st December 2016. The descriptions are supplied with distribution maps, colour pictures, are included information about growing, morphologie of crocuses and key for all species included in this monograph, which is real Encyclopedia of crocuses. The size of book is 568 pages (A-4) and it is richly illustrated (more than 1700 colour pictures). Unfortunately since 1st of January, 2020, Latvian Post cancelled special postage rate for books and now postage costs significantly rised. But I'm still keeping former price for EU - 40,- Euro including postage, although now this only just-just covers my costs. For out of EU postage costs depends from country (for example, sending to Australia will cost me 39,- EU in damage safe packing, or 20,- Eu in size 18 bubble envelope). Book always is posted separately from plants. You can order book writing to me by e-mail janis.bulb@hawk.lv

In this part you will find crocus species and cultivars blooming in autumn. On attached picture general view of our autumn crocus collection pictured 30th of September, 2017.

This is a late autum blooming species found in stony places and low scrub across a wide area from western Syria (in the Aleppo region – hence the name) into Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, but some of the reported locations belong to other, as yet undescribed species (must be published soon by other botanists, so I cancelled my work on them). It blooms from November and although flowers are quite small but they are borne in clusters of several to each corm. The flower colour is generally white, variably marked with a little yellow in the throat below a divided orange style and yellow-orange anthers, sometimes with black in connective. On the exterior there is usually some purple striping, especially towards the tube however this too varies. It needs dry and hot summer conditions, left all the year round in greenhouse it blooms very abundantly

This species of Crocus speciosus allie was discovered by me in Iran and named after the renowned plantsman Jim Archibald, who introduced many new plants from remote countries. Flowers very specially coloured - with 3 stripes along the back of outer flower segments. Very limited stock!

This is a beautiful autumn blooming crocus from C. speciosus group with very large flowers and creamy yellow to deep yellow throat and many branched stigma well over-topping anthers. One of the best "speciosus" from open fields in Armenia near Goris.

At this moment I regard it only as unusual form of C. armeniensis with light creamy anthers and deep yellow throat. It is known only from two initial corms collected somewhere near vil. Vahagni in Armenia. My late friend Zhirair Basmajyan finally found its wild population, but my trip to Armenia was annulled due his tragic death (he was killed by robber in his summer house) and later attempt to visit Armenia - by Covid. So its status still remain under question.

Quite a local species in the wild, limited to the oak-scrub region around Akseki in the western Taurus range, but it has proved to be one of the best of the saffron group in cultivation. Possible outside in a sunny, dry site and an easy, satisfying species under glass. Delicately veined, white to palest lilac flowers with showy, scarlet styles, generously produced in autumn,

One of the rarest and mostly looked for autumn blooming crocuses still grown in very few collections. In nature it is found only in single gorge of rebelling Abkhazia in Caucasus, so no possibilities to collect additional material in wild. Flowers bright violet with large white base and prolonged tips of petals.

A somewhat variable in colour species, flowers soft violet with fantastically branched styles, the outer tepals are twice as long as the inner ones, that’s why among its synonym names one can find even “Crociris”. Multiplied from seeds gathered on white blooming individuals, so occasional white ones can occure in this stock. Prefers light shade and needs some watering in summer when long dry spells occur

One of the brightest white crocuses with a very branched very bright orange style and large nicely rounded tepals. I’m offering pure white forms with small deep orange throat, which originate from the Taygetos mnt. in Greece.

Very beautiful form from Crete with distinctly dark striped back of flower segments. Very limited stock!

Another selection from same population from where came striped form with equally large, nicely rounded flowers and with distinctly yellow back of segments especially in buds and start of blooming, but later slowly fades to white. Very limited stock!

The most elegant species from Crocus speciosus group with cool white throat and glistening white flower tube. With the first glance on it you will understand that it is something very special. I named it as Crocus elegans, but according rules of International code, the priority has name given by Ingo Schneider.

Crocus cancellatus is another group of complicated taxonomy where under this name certainly hides several species. This one was originally collected in then peaceful Syria and regarded as type cancellatus. It is one of the most beautiful forms grown in my collection under common name "cancellatus". Something variable in colour, it always has white striped throat and large something rounded flowers. Still very limited stock.

This sample was collected on Akdag, near vil. Erkenek, along rd. to Karadere. It has more pointed flower segments and coarser tunics than could be according original description of C. cancellatus, but at present I can't attach to it other name. Really under name of different "cancellatus" stocks most likely are hidden several at present unrecognised species.

Quite a variable species with a whitish ground colour densely striped purple sometimes confluent at the tips, with very prominent deep yellow spots at the base of the flower segments. Very beautiful. Corms positioned in the soil vertically. Not difficult and here grows even outside.

Flowers white to deep violet with darker violet stripes in the throat or throughout the petal inner surface whilst in the centre sit chrome yellow anthers and a long deep red three-branched stigma. The striking colours are further enhanced by a strong fragrance of saffron. It is one of the very few species whose flowers don’t close at night. Last researches on genetic level confirmed that just Crocus cartwrightianus is the ancient parent of C. sativus.

Excellent selection from Crocus cartwrightianus with pure white flowers, occasionally with dark stripes in throat.

This crocus earlier regarded as a subspecies of C. cancellatus has lighter or darker lilac flowers with an indistinct lighter or darker striped throat. My plants come from seedlings originally collected in eastern Turkey and are more vigorous and better growers than the usually offered forms from Jordan. Corms have remarkably coarsely netted tunics. Most likely under this name hides several different species, now under research in Israel and Germany.

This form of Crocus dispathaceus was originally collected during one of the first trips of our team to Turkey between Akseki and Seydishekir at altitude 1300 m. Although growing more to the West by all features it is typical C. dispathaceus. It seem that crocus dispathaceus has very wide distribution area to West even after Mugla and quite far to North (B-2 by Turkish Flora gridlines).

It is another form with light coloured flowers, but by all important morphological features this one completely agree with deep purple form, growing at West border of its area. It is something variable population, in general lightest from all gatherings, but more heavily striped flowers occur between them.

This rare species comes from Gilan province in NW Iran. Flowers are medium sized, white, flushed lilac to light lilac and with slight violet veining. With age becomes darker. A close relative to Crocus autranii with which it readily hybridises although has a different chromosome number. Does not like drying out in summer.

Very elegant lavender to pale lilac-blue flowers with a white throat and broadly ovate segments on a long flower tube from the Mani peninsula in the Peloponnesus, Greece. An excellent grower and a very beautiful autumn crocus.

Crocus hadriaticus mostly has white flowers with distinctly yellow throat. Offered are stocks grown from wild collected seeds, so they are variable in colour of throat and flower tube.

This beautiful hybrid selected from open pollinated seeds of C. hadriaticus in my nursery is easy separable by its dark purple flower tube. Seems that it is sterile (I never got seeds from it) although I never tried to handpollinate it and it has very good increasing rate by corm splitting. I decided to name it after my very long time mountain travel partner from Czech Republic Jiri Bydgoscz.

It is not easy to get hold of the true species, quite often under this name are offered various, superficially similar forms of C. suworowianus which sometimes do resemble C. hakkariensis by the shape of the flower segments – they are distinctly wedge-like and somewhat angular at the tips (obtrullate). But any doubts disappear when the throat is checked for in C. hakkariensis it is distinctly hairy and nude in its relatives. In cultivation C. hakkariensis requires hot and dry conditions during the summer. Very rare in cultivation. Offered plants were originally collected in Iran, at border with Hakkari Province of Turkey.

Just at Christmas of 2018 published new species from Hatay Province in Turkey near Syrian border which originally was collected by me and Eugenius Dambrauskas already in 2003 (sample RUDA-117), but published only now when more detailed studies of this relative of well known Crocus kotschyanus were performed. Its main feature separating it from all other samples of C. kotschyanus sensu lato is forming of leaves already during blooming. It has different chromosome number, too, but there are other morphological features separating both species, as length of stigma and its branching and position relating anthers, although they are something more variable. I have 3 different gatherings of this species, all collected in the same region independently by me, Erick Pasche and J. Person from Gothenburg Botanic Garden. Offered is stock HKEP-9205 originally collected already in 1992 with lovely light violet, darker striped flowers and +/- confluent large yellow-orange blotches at the base giving an impression of an orange throat.

I came across Crocus haussknechtii in Iranian Kurdistan, in a few locations E of Sanandaj, on hard clay on open rocky slopes, not exactly on rocks but on moderately sloping spots where more soil had accumulated. In my samples from Iran the flowers are somewhat light lilac, actually nearly whitish, with slightly darker lilac veining though the colour can vary. Generally the ground colour remains whitish but the veining can be quite dark lilac. The style branches are very deep red, widely expanding at the apex. Plants from Jordan soon will have new name.

This is the most westerly occurring representative from large C. speciosus group, growing wild in W Greece. It has purplish striped cataphylls, similar cataphylls have only two other species from this group - most easterly growing C. zubovii and C. xantholaimos, growing midway between both its relatives.

Crocus hermoneus by flower is almost indistinguishable from C. cancellatus, sometimes the two grow in mixed populations, so for a correct identification it is necessary to check the corm tunics. In general its flower segments are narrower and more widely open in sun, when flower segments even can bend backwards. Really under this name are hidden several species which soon must be published (may be already are). Here is offered sample which will keep the name "hermoneus". Very limited stock.

At present still it is "nomen nudum" - not officially published name, but I hope to work on its publication this winter. It is growing wild on Chios Island and is quite variable - flowers are from pure white to dark striped purple and its anthers are yellow or black - in almost any population you can find plants with both anther colours. My stock was collected in spring, so no special selection by flowers was made, and I didn't separate them during cultivation, so don't ask me for special colours and I can't guarantee that corms which you will receive will have black anthers - such were in average around 30 % of collected corms and same proportion remain between their seedlings. Legend tells that blind ancient poet Homer (author of Odyssey and Iliad) was born on Chios, so this new species will be named after him (if someone will not publish it before me).

This species belongs to Crocus speciosus group but is easy separable by its white anthers and branched stigma which well overtops anthers. For long it was regarded as C. pulchellus (for its white anthers) although is easy distinguishable from the last. In wild it grows in Turkey in Europe and seems that in adjacent Bulgaria, too. Very limited stock!

It is in fact a diminutive form of Crocus speciosus, with small nicely veined and striped flowers, the main feature for separation is the stigmatic branches that end between tips of anthers and are less branched. That allows proving the correctness of the name. Often under this name are offered various hybrids or seedlings of the Crocus speciosus. Offered stock was collected at its "locus classicus" just before entry in Ilgaz Dag National Park, but outside it!

This exceptional hybrid was selected in my nursery from seedlings of subsp. ilgazensis and it somewhat resembles C. pulchellus in colour (white anthers, a deep yellow throat) but the flowers are larger with pointed tepals and prominent veining like in C. speciosus. Anthers well overtop the slightly branched stigma. A real beauty and good grower. Earlier was offered under name 'Fantasy' but later some Dutch company gave same name to some spring blooming crocus, so I was forced to rename mine, to avoid misunderstanding. I never registered my hybrids, always they were registered by other growers or by KAVB. Excellent grower in outside garden, too.

This beautiful species from the surroundings of Lake Van in E Turkey has a long and rich history and usually under this name is offered a form of C. kotschyanus. The typical plant has a long, branched white to creamy stigma well overtopping the anthers, but it is something variable. Flowers light lilac with darker violet veining with no traces of yellow in the throat. Needs dry summer conditions.

This one is very variable stock, collected by our team on mountain steppe over vil. Tepekoy in SE Turkey. It is very good grower and increases by corm splitting only occasionally forming grains at corm base. It belongs to typical C. kotschyanus with diploid chromosome number 2n=8, whilst its relatives from Hatay province has 2n = 10.

This variety has a white style and for this feature it was misnamed as C. karduchorum. The inner base in this form is pure white without any yellow spots. The stigmatic branches are hidden among the anthers. Seedlings split into the typical form and in var. leucopharynx. Rarely offered.

This selection from widespread in wild Crocus laevigatus has beautifully lilac toned flowers with dark purple back of flower segments. It has very strong, nice scent in sunny days filling all greenhouse.

The flowers are starry, strong violet-purple with a lovely fragrance and a small deep orange throat in the centre surrounded by a diffused whitish zone. The throat colour is quite variable. Its fragrance fills the greenhouse and I list it among the best autumn-blooming crocuses.

Earlier known as subspecies of C. cancellatus this beautiful crocus now is regarded as separate species – so distinct from C. cancellatus it is. Flowers pure white with a contrasting deep yellow throat complemented with a deep orange-red finely divided red style that fills the centre of the flower like flickering flames.

Although Crocus mazziaricus is a well-known and widely distributed species, its taxonomic status, or rather, just to which populations its specific epithet can be applied, is still debatable. Certainly, in such a large region several species might be hiding under the common name “C. mazziaricus”. Plants offered here originally were collected closely to the locus classicus (on mainland Greece just opposite to Lefkada Island at W coast of Greece) where it grew side by side with C. hadriaticus in mixed populations) and respond to original description.

One of the most variable and beautiful in colour former subsp. of C. cancellatus. Colour varies from whitish to violet variously striped on the back and with the throat from white to purple, in best forms with purple stripes and with an orange to deep red varyingly branched style. Easy growing form from Samos Island of Greece in East Aegean Sea. Certainly it is new, still unpublished species.

As already noted, under name of C. mazziaricus are hidden several species. This one comes from Turkey. Is it the same which is growing on E Aegean Islands or another one species at present day knowledge is not easy to judge, but it certainly isn't true mazziaricus published from Lefkada and distributed throughout Peloponessus and entering mainland Greece.

An autumn-blooming member of the large C. biflorus group from Greece earlier wrongly named as „C. crewei”. Flowers are white marked with small, deeply coloured, almost black, stripes on the outside, rarely stippled grey. The anthers are with a black connective, rarely entirely black, but sometimes yellow. A very distinct and attractive plant with a nice honey scent.

It took many years and repeated careful hand-pollination to rise up virus-clean stock of this very beautiful autumn blooming species. Its native population is heavy virus infected and now almost destroyed by wild boars, completely ploughing up and cleaning from crocus corms the locality where this crocus grew in abundance only some years ago. In nature it was very difficult to find few healthy plants from which my stock developed.

Althought the name means ‘snow-white’, more often in trade are offered forms with slightly bluish flowers. The colour varies from white to light blue and it flowers in October. One of the best autumn crocuses.

Beautiful purest white selection from typically slightly bluish toned populations of Crocus niveus, which more respond to its name - Snowwhite crocus.

Large, vivid and richly coloured deep violet flowers on long tubes open from September. Needs a damp, humus rich soil to do well, and does not need a hot dry rest in summer! It produces stolones and could naturalise in short managed grass where it can slowly spread. Can be grown outside here.

This is a very nice crocus, blooming with moderately large flowers that are carried on comparatively long tubes. Quite often the outer segments open wider than the inner ones. It is a good grower in the greenhouse, well multiplies by corm splitting and sets seed readily, although hand pollination is essential for two reasons – firstly, the species blooms here late when natural pollinators for the most part are absent, and secondly, in milder climates it easily hybridises with other species. Not difficult but must be kept somewhat cooler in summer than its relatives.

This is typical, true Crocus pallasii and comes from its locus classicus in Crimea, now occupied by Russia. I succeed to collect this crocus really in the last moment before Russia occupied peninsula. C. pallasii was described just from Crimea, so my plants belong to true, typical species. Flowers are mostly lilac of various shades, rarely white, the throat usually whitish with deep purple stripes. Stigma trilobed, deep red levelling with the anthers. Flower segments in the Crimean plants are generally broader than in those from Turkey, which most likely belongs to another species.

Originally it was collected out of flowers between ruins of ancient Ariasos North of Antalya and when bloomed in my collection, turned extremely variable - some individuals resembled Crocus assumaniae, growing far to the East, few had colour and stigma as in C. kofudagensis (growing far to the West), but most of them resembled some of Turkish crocuses at present regarded as C. pallasii aff. Revisiting of site at blooming time confirmed huge variability of this population. Is it the place where met all those species or something else - I don't know. At least species status for both - kofudagensis and assumaniae were confirmed by DNA. Offered plants are not selected by colour, but dominates individuals which looks closer to C. pallasii sensu latissimo.

A beautiful autumn-flowering species with slender light lilac-blue flowers nicely lightly marked with parallel violet stripes. In the centre bright yellow anthers and a bright red stigma. My stock comes from near Labranda in SW Turkey where it grows in very stony clay ground. By other travellers it is reported as the best "pallasii" ever seen . Unfortunately its wild population is almost destroyed by repeated attacks of wild boars, that only few plants growing deep in minor rock splits too hard even for boars tooth, escaped this fate. I collected from those few seedpods from which was raised my stock. Certainly it needs own name as a new species. Very limited stock.

Beautifull light bluish lilac flowers with deep yellow throat, which provides excellent contrast to show off the white anthers that, characterise this beautiful Turkish species very rarely offered. Our plants comes from several localities E from Antalya up to Mersin in South Turkey. Very limited stock.

One more crocus from large "speciosus" group, described by famous botanist Grossheim from Talish in Aserbaijan but not published according rules of Nomenclature Code, so the name is not officially accepted. Certainly it is not typical speciosus as it is growing on open meadows and looks different, something intermediate with C. archibaldiorum, but in Iran there are several very special forms growing between both species. So further research is required to establish its status.

These are wild forms of this beautiful, mid-autumn blooming very hardy crocus from Chios Island (Greece) with nice rounded lilac-blue flowers with a bright yellow throat and white anthers. Tepals with a few darker stripes (veins). Seems that just Chios populations are the most attractive between 26 acquisitions of this species in my collection.

It is diminutive relative of C. laevigatus from Crete. Like all the species that enter winter with well-developed leaves, here it can be grown only under cover where it perfectly blooms usually starting from the end of October (although the earliest record is from 5th October, 2011) and finishing in December. C. pumilus is reported as sufficiently hardy, but here in our long and as a rule harsh winters it can suffer from frosts. It very well sets seed and multiplies by corm division.

This member of the large C. speciosus group has a very distinct genotype and grows quite isolated from others on the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine (at this moment occupied by Russia). By flower it looks quite similar to the type speciosus but blooms generally much earlier. We once had a stock that was already in bloom in the first days of August but it was destroyed by rodents.

Assumed to be an autumn-flowering mutation of C. atticus, it has retained the large size of lilac to white flowers and in most cases has a large dark yellow throat, which sometimes is pale or surrounded by a white border like in the well-known spring cv. ‘Tricolor’. There are two, geographically isolated populations of what was once thought to be all Crocus robertianus. Most likely both represent two distinct although morphological similar species. Certainly, scientific examination of the DNA confirms that this southerly collection is not the same species as robertianus from type locality in Pindus Mountains. I only recently got material from the type locality of robertianus so further research will be applied. Offered stock comes from southern population and was collected not far from Varnakovo Monastery,

Another member of large "speciosus" aliance. This species grow in the wild at low altitudes and due its deep yellow throat something resembles highland C. xantholaimos, but contrary to it has distinctly more branched stigma overtopping anthers. At present it is known only from two spots around Sakarya in NW Turkey. As it is typical for autumn species growing at low altitudes, it blooms later than its relatives from high altitudes. Very limited stock.

This stock of C. salzmannii of unknown origin I got under name of "Crocus clusii" from my great friend Zhirair Basmajyan (Armenia) who tragically was killed last summer by some young robber and burnt together with his summerhouse and all collection of harvested bulbs. From the first blooming I put under doubt its name, because it formed long leaves during blooming, although at start was leafless. The identification was re-checked by anthers which in salzmannii is much longer than in true C. clusii. Although corm tunics are not very typical for salzmannii, they lay inside variability for C. salzmannii. As they are clone, I decided to name this stock after my late friend.

This is famous saffron crocus, source of popular spice used to colour rice, bread and giving them special taste. With me it is growable only in greenhouse because need hot and long summer for flowering. My stock represents Iranian populations and was collected on saffron field during stop of our bus for tire change.

Although more and more crocus species show that they occasionally are forming side growing stolones, this one form of crocus from so named "speciosus group" collected at very high altitudes (2300-2500 m) on grassy meadow in NW Iran, is distinctly stoloniferous (see attached picture where you can see small corm which flowered, long stolone + contractile root), making long side growing stolones and it blooms from even very small corms. In wild it is growing together with C. gilanicus. Very limited stock!

This stock was collected near locus classicus in Georgia and represent true, typical form of this species. Cultivars grown under name of speciosus most likely represents other species from this group or are of hybrid origin.

This is one of the first crocuses to start flowering after the summer rest. Similar to C. vallicola but without the conspicuous wispy tips of the perianth segments. Usually flowers are white, more or less lilac striped, especially in the throat, but between them can occur some lilac toned individuals. Corm lies on its side and needs dryer growing conditions.

The flower colour varies from light lilac to deep lilac with an invariably lighter or darker yellow throat that sometimes is orange or greenish yellow in the fairest forms. Needs dry and hot summers.

Large, widely opening soft lavender flowers with glistening white anthers and much-divided orange stigmas. One of the only three autumnal crocuses that does not close its flowers in poor light or cold weather, they stay open even at night. It is distributed on Greek Islands and each island’s population has something different from neighbours.

Earlier regarded as a subsp. of C. pallasii and distinguished from the type by a long persistent „neck” of old leaf bases. The flowers are lovely light violet marked and feathered with darker lines, darker in the throat, tepals generally narrower than in C. pallasii but wider than in C. dispathaceus. This stock was collected in Lebanon.

An excellent early autumn-flowering crocus with large creamy white flowers, segments have peculiar acuminate tips. Prefers peaty soil and does not like drying out in summer. From Artvin, NE Turkey.

This beautiful crocus was originally described by B. Mathew in his Monograph as subspecies of C. speciosus but according to new approach to Crocus taxonomy now must be regarded as species. Stock was collected by me just on its locus classicus. Flowers are comparatively smaller with deep yellow throat and many-branched stigma hided deep between anthers. It is blooming very long time and sometimes here winter starts when still last flowers not wilted and they are going under snow.

This crocus species is the most easterly growing representative from C. speciosus group. It is easy separable from another Iranian species of same group - C. archibaldiorum by position of stigma and from most other relatives by usually purple striped upper cataphyll. Flowers are attractive, violet, beautifully veined in a darker shade of the same colour. All of the six, quite evenly-sized, petals are veined with pale yellow inner base, and are set around yellow anthers which in turn ring around an orange-yellow, trifid style which is further sub-divided just at its tips. The style usually exceeds the length of the anthers. The purple-striped upper cataphyll is not always that obvious and additionally, it does vary substantially according to the age of the flower.

Following is our current offer of crocus species and cultivars blooming in spring. On attached picture you can see our collection pictured in polytunnel at 1st of April but usually under cover crocuses blooms much earlier.

Flowers in a very beautiful light bright blue shade with a very contrasting bright yellow base. Originally collected at 1700 m near Lake Abant, NW Turkey. Very beautiful and not difficult in the garden. It is growing better in open garden, because in greenhouse usually is too hot for it. I'm each spring just after blooming bringing its pots into garden.

A very beautiful large-flowering, extremely variable in colour population from Armenia, in any case far better than other forms offered under this name. It is the true adamii, different from usual commercial stocks, with large blue or violet, tinted or striped darker, flowers.

Practically unknown in cultivation crocus earlier wrongly regarded as Turkish form of C. adamii up to finding, that it has completely different genotype and belongs to new, unknown before species allied neither to biflorus or adamii, but closer to C. danfordiae and some other typically Turkish crocus species. Very beautiful and variable in colour. I don't know any other offer of it before me. Very few!

A very rare spring-flowering species with light lilac flowers and a distinct white throat. Style divides into three bright orange-red branches. Has some resemblance with C. biflorus, but corm tunics are not annulate at the base.

This species belongs to my greatest favourites among spring-blooming crocuses. Flowers bright blue with a bright yellow inner base surrounded by radial white rays. An exceptional beauty from high mountains of NE Turkey. Very limited stock originally collected on Zigana Pass.

White flowers uniquely patterned with speckles and dots in silver to ash-grey on the exterior. On the inside the shining white contrasts with the bright yellow throat. Requires a well drained soil in full sun.

C. alexandri from the biflorus group is easily to identify because at present there are known only two species with a white throat. The other is C. weldenii, but its leaves have 1 or 2 prominent ribs in the lateral channels. In the garden C. alexandri is an easy grower and according to E. A. Bowles, they “make splendid garden plants, flowering rather late”. My plants comes from Mt. Falakro in Makedonia (Greece).

Although superficially quite similar, cytological researches partly based on samples from my collection, showed that under this name are covered at least 5 different species. Offered here "Cytotype III" originally was collected between Urgup and Kayseri, alt. 1100 m as RUDA-061.

Although superficially quite similar, cytological researches partly based on samples from my collection, showed that under this name are covered at least 5 different species. Offered here "Cytotype IV" originally was collected on Tavsan Dag,at alt. 1560 m as LST-124.

Incredibly vigorous and floriferous occasional hybrid of Crocus ancyrensis selected as by Lithuanian bulb grower Eugenius Dambrauskas. Very bright, abundantly blooming and good increaser by splitting, it is sterile, confirming hybrid origin. Another parent is unknown.

Flowers rich Indian-yellow to orange with a deep lustrous purple striping and feathering on petal backs. Taller and more vigorous than the old Dutch forms of this species. From near Oreanda (Krestovaja Gora), Crimea (R-8306) originally collected by me in 1983.

This is a superb selection of this tough crocus; it lacks the typical dark purple-black striping on the exterior. From outside it looks nicely creamy yellow but opens like a brightest golden yellow star. Very abundantly flowering.

The plants grown in horticulture as Crocus antalyensis have been separated off by me as a new species - Crocus antalyensioides. The new species has a distribution within Turkey which is much more to the north of the range of what is now regarded as proper C. antalyensis. C. antalyensioides is certainly easier and hardier in cultivation as well as being more robust in growth with larger flowers which may explain its recent, wider spread in cultivation. In nature I found only its blue forms with rare albinos occuring between seedlings. What exactly is yellow forms - I don't know. May be it is wider variation of colour in nature, may be they rised in cultivation and really are hybrids with closely related C. mouradii because they appeared in seed-raised stock of the blue form of Crocus antalyensioides which in turn was raised from a stock originally produced by Willem van Eeden in the Netherlands. The yellow forms vary from strong deep yellow, like flavus, to paler primrose forms. Requires deep planting, I'm using 20 cm deep pots, placing corms at depth of 10-15 cm, then they forms large corms and abundantly blooms. Shallower planted are good increasers, but forms smaller corms which produce less flowers.

Crocus athous turned out to be similar to C. atticus in its coarsely reticulated corm tunics that though end abruptly and do not form the prolonged neck so characteristic of C. atticus. The throat in C. athous is very variable – white, slightly tinted yellow only at the edge, to yellow with a wide white edge. It is an easy crocus that can tolerate summer moisture and partial shade and can be grown in the open garden, too, just like its relatives do. In cultivation it makes large corms and increases by splitting and well sets seed. It has very small area of distribution limited with south end of Athos peninsula (Ortodoxal churches monk state) with very restricted possibilities to enter (not allowed for woman at all) and is extremely rare both in wild and in cultivation.

This one belongs to one of the best specioes in the C. biflorus group. Flowers are lighter or darker blue with a bright orange throat, rarely with black anthers. As the name implies the dry seeds of this species are black.

A very abundantly blooming crocus from Greece forming large rounded lilac flowers with a deep yellow throat. Very tolerant to winter conditions here and a good grower even outside where it excellently increases. Stock was collected just near Athens, and has nothing common with stocks offered under this name by Dutch nurseries..

It has been known quite well and is being grown in several collections for some time already but then it was regarded as a white form of C. punctatus. When looking more closely the differences are easily seen. The anthers in C. punctatus always have black basal lobes, never seen in C. babadagensis, and their tips are never greyish-tinted.

C. balansae is easily recognizable and separable from its close relative C. olivieri by its much-branched style that is divided into 12 to 15 branches. During flowering it requires lots of water as in the wild it sometimes grows in spots that get flooded in early spring, but summers there are hot and dry. It is not commercial form but originating from Samos Island in E Aegean Sea, where it is growing together with C. seisumsiana and some autumn blooming crocuses.