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

Not so long ago under name isauricus were grown a lot of different species. Only quite recently Kerndorff and Pasche after careful comparing of herbariums, literature data found that true isauricus comes from some mountains around Taskent in S Turkey. I have two something different stocks from closely situated populations which well respond to data given by HKEP. The flowers of both samples have the cup-shape considered typical of the true plant. Parallely this problem was researched by Osman Erol, who regarded as typical "isauricus" plant published by Kerndorff and Pasche as C. concinnus, but it has much more slender flower segments, so I follow here HKEP's decision.

Quite recently published species from North Macedonia, growing on high altitudes and blooming at melting snow. Flowers invariably white and in most cases stigma is white, rarely creamy or yellow. If grown in pots, better to bring out from alpine house during hot periods. Requires slightly acid soil.

This species was known for long as dwarf highland form of Crocus veluchensis, but only last year it got proper name. In spring needs plenty of water because blooms at melting snow and requires something acid soil. Growing wild on alpine meadows in North Macedonia it don't like excessive hot during summer, so pots must be placed out of alpine house when weather permits.

Crocus kosaninii is easily distinguishable from other related species by its yellow throat and yellow filaments. Flowers are quite uniform, at least in the introduced stocks. Crocus kosaninii is free flowering and well sets seed. It grows freely outside and is quite hardy though during that most severe winter I almost completely lost my stock, survived only very few corms. Now the remainders grow in pots until the stock bulks up enough to be again partly planted outside. This species does not need a hot and dry storage during the summer months.

Another new species described by Kerndorff and Pasche some time ago but never before offered. Main feature separating it from others is white style and by my observations it didn't hybridise with other species, because its seedlings always are true to name. My stock is seed-raised from initial 2 corms which I got from Erich Pasche, Very limited stock.

Another species that is practically identical with the crocus published by Kerndorff & Pasche as Crocus malatyensis. My stock was collected not very far away from type locality (closer to Malatya) and morphologically is very similar, only the anthers in my plants are occasionally with black connectives. Even genetically both stocks are very similar - is it sufficient to regard them as different? I do not know. At least flowers of both generally are inseparable and black colour in anthers occasionally appear in many Turkish species of this region.

Flowers purest white with a rich yellow throat, large. The bright orange-yellow style branches provide a magnificent contrast to the white segments. An excellent form from the Velebit mountains, 520m, Croatia. Very easy.

This beautiful crocus was found already by Jim Archibald but lost by him. Many years later I following his steps rediscovered this beauty and last year published it together with Iranian scientists. Named after city in which vicinity it is growing wild. Good grower and well set seeds.

One of the earliest spring crocuses, flowers on the outside with a very nice dark blue shade, inside whitish with a blue throat. Best kept in frame or alpine house, because needs a dry and hot summer. From the Kopet-Dag mountains in Turkmenistan.

This species by flowers something resembles more widely known C. reticulatus. In pots it fares very well and even the forms collected in the neighbourhood of C. hittiticus never bloom in December or January, as is quite often the case with the latter. In the greenhouse it well sets seed and increases satisfactorily by corm splitting. I keep the pots during the summer in the greenhouse for the summers in its homeland are very dry and hot.

C. minutus something resembles C. danfordiae but is easy separable from last by its white stigma. If you can grow C. danfordiae you will have no problems with C. minutus, too. It excellently sets seed and increases by corm splitting. Maybe C. minutus is too small for an open bed, but it excellently grows in pots. The pots are kept only in the greenhouse and not brought outside after the end of vegetation.

Crocus mouradii is correct name for plant earlier known as subsp. dissectus of C. flavus. So far I have tried it only in pots and most likely it needs a deeper planting than the majority of species, because in nature its corms lie very deep in the soil. In summer it requires dry conditions, so I keep the pots in the greenhouse all the year round.

This crocus found in by Henrik Zetterlund in 1990 looks quite similar to typical Crocus munzurense although is collected SE from Tunceli in region not more achievable due Kurdish revolution. It makes large cormlets at mother bulbs base and is stoloniferous. Good grower and increaser. May be need proper name.

Crocus nubigena from the moment of its discovery and first description was a somewhat enigmatic plant. Although it was described from plants reported as collected at Mt. Gargarus, I didn’t find any herbaria collected wild. Regardless of quite poor available data, it was possible to conclude that plants growing wild near Bergamo and on Lesvos Island most precisely respond to original publication, and here are offered just stock originally collected on Lesvos Island with flowers lighter or darker blue and with very prominent black anthers with long basal lobes.

Masses of bright deep golden yellow flowers among wide spreading leaves, like a miniature C. flavus version. Collected in Greece

The taxonomical status of this species still is something uncertain. Some botanists regard it as albino form of C. chrysanthus. From a gardener’s viewpoint C. pallidus is easy to grow both in the open garden and in the greenhouse. It perfectly sets seed (hand-pollination is required to ensure clean stocks!) and excellently increases by corm splitting. It is rather immune to heat spells so can either stay in the greenhouse or be brought outside.

Almost legendary species from high and wet mountain meadows in N of Greece and adjacent Northern Macedonia weith very bright purple flowers, blooming late in season. Its needs for very wet soil throughout a year seem to be incorrect. I never harvested so good corms as after extremely dry and hot summer of 2018. Most important is correct acidity - in wild it is growing on very acid soils with pH around 5, so I plant it into Rhododendron mix improved with coarse sand. Of course - during blooming it requires more moisture than most of other crocuses. Very limited stock!

By flower this crocus something resembles Crocus iranicus but is separable by other morphological features. Originally discovered in Iranian Kurdistan already in 2018 but named and published 4 years later. Good grower and increaser here.

Flowers from striped to almost pure white with a narrow purplish tongue on the outer base of the flower segments. The filaments are very short and anthers distinctly black prior to the dehiscence (KPPZ-108). A distinct carnation-clove scent.

Flowers rich bluish violet, somewhat darker at the base with a large deep yellow zone in the centre. Here I’m offering stock originally collected by Chris Brickell and Brian Mathew in prov. Bursa, Ulu-Dag, at altitude of 1800m in 1985. Flowers in this stock are rich bluish violet, somewhat darker at the base with a large deep yellow zone in the centre.

Up to last Bulgarian spring blooming bluish crocus with annulate tunics was named as "C. adamii" what of course was not true, because Crocus adamii is growing only in Caucasus mountains. Quite recently this was confirmed when group of botanists described annulate crocus from adjacent Serbia as C. randjeloviciorum. Both populations - Serbian and Bulgarian are very close - actually on both sides of border and when I compared them - turned that they are of same species. I'm offering plants collected on Bulgarian side of border.

In cultivation it is not difficult, well sets seed and increases by corm splitting. During the 8 years the stock from the original 10 corms has bulked up to around 50 flowering-size corms and lots of smaller ones. Of course, it grows only in the greenhouse and every spring is carefully hand pollinated to get true seeds. Pots are kept in the greenhouse all year round.

It is one of the last new species published by Kerndorff & Pasche, It is named after Sanandaj in Iran as "growing East of this city". Really it has much wider distribution and offered stock was collected to West from Sanandaj, not far from Tizh-Tizh and is practically inseparable from plants collected by our team to East from Sanandaj and description published by authors. Flowers are of very nice, pale bluish tint, occasionally with slightly darker stripes on outside.

One of the brightest yellow spring blooming crocuses from North Macedonia and Albania. Not easy in cultivation but its request for wet soil all the year round seem to be exaggerated - main secret lies in pH of soil. This is one of species for which must be prepared more acid substrate - in nature it is below 6. At blooming time soil is very wet but later it is dried out by overgrown bilberries.

Very beautiful comparatively small, but very abundantly flowering form from mountains of Crete with medium sized pure white rounded flowers with large golden yellow throat and small purplish shaded blotch at base of outer segments outside. We still have not tried to grow it outside, but it is marvellous plant for pots. Excellent competitor to famous ‘Bowles’ White’ although smaller in size but fertile, so usable for hybridization.

Beautiful selection from Crocus sieberi population collected on Omalos Plain in Crete - abundantly blooming and well increasing by corm splitting.

This is a spring-blooming crocus with black anthers from the C. biflorus complex growing in a very limited area in N Greece now mostly controlled by the militaries. Flowers are white or pale violet with prominent dark stripes on the sepal backs and a large and very dark yellow throat. Anthers variable - pure black or with a black connective, rarely yellow.

This recently described species we were growing as sp. nova for several years before it was described as C. taseliensis by Helmut Kerndorff and Erich Pasche. Usually with striped segments back, but sometimes speckled. The ground colour is white, the throat is large, yellow, the anthers with a prominent black connective but can be plain yellow, too. This year I offer stock collected behind Moca gec. - more to the East from last year offered stock. They looks quite different and may be belongs to different species, but data from original description and lacking of exact locality from where comes type sample not allow to make some decision.

Very distinctive from other species within the biflorus complex with erect silvery grey leaves and very long toothed rings of the corm tunic. Very different from subsp. adamii under which it is included in the marvellous monograph of Brian Mathew. Flowers large, violet blue striped or flushed on white ground, very variable. A true gem from Tschatir-Dag Yaila, Crimea. Another beauty gathered in last moment before Russia occupied Crimea.

It is new species never before offered by anyone and described from Turkey in Europe where it is growing in Thracian region and could be found in adjacent Greece. Very limited stock.

Selfsawn seedling from John Grimshaw’s former garden with exceptionally beautiful colour combination. John forwarded it to RHS Crocus trial and after that donated stock to me. I regard it as one of the best "tommies".

I got seeds of this crocus from Marcus Harvey, but it was poor grower with me, but in same time it was so special that I from the first day regarded it as a new, still unpublished species. This insisted me to visit the place N of Drama in Greek Macedonia from where it was reported by Marcus. I found it at high altitudes growing in dense turf in extremely acid soil. I suppose that just the soil problems can explain my initial failures with this very special crocus. Now I'm growing it in Rhododendron mix improved with coarse sand and results immediately appeared. It likes cool and not too dry conditions. Does well here in a pot but as weather allows, I'm bringing pots outside into light shade. This will make its new roots before the old ones die away, so needs moist (not wet) compost at all times. Soon it must be published as a new species by Balkan botanists.

Another allie of Crocus veluchensis which waits for deeper research. As all crocuses of this group, this one likes more acid substrate (I'm adding rhododendron mix) and prefers bringing of pots out of greenhouse during summer spells.

Researches done in Germany showed that small blooming spring crocus from Alps and neighboring Balkans correctly must be named as C. albiflorus. Here I offer very nice form growing wild in Slovenia.

I don't know is it pure albino of Crocus vitellinus or most likely some hybrid with another species. In any case it is beautiful very good grower and increases by corm splitting, but I never got seeds from this clone.

American bulbous plant grown up from seeds collected on Peninsular Ranges, San Diego Co., California where it was growing at altitude around 1000 m. Usually it is forming several bright blue-violet, tubular bells with flaring lobes in large crowded umbels on 30-40 cm long stems. but colour varies up to pinkish and even white. All members of this genus are easily grown in the garden. They are nice alternatives for the taller growing alliums. Needs good drainage as in wild it is growing on dry gravelly slopes.

American bulb from woodlands and grasslands growing up to 2000 m altitude from California to British Columbia. Easily grown ant tolerates water and cool conditions in summer, but dislike combination of hot and water. Can reach 20-80 cm height. My plants usually are around 50 cm high.

This American bulbs comes from Outer North Coast Ranges in California, where it is growin at altitude of. 1500 m. The pendant tubular flowers are in large umbels on up, to 0.3 m long stems often supported by grasses and shrubs. The striking deep crimson tubes with reflexed, pale green lobes and a white crown surrounding the stamens are unlike any other member of this genus. In wild it is growing on partially-shaded embankments in a mixed conifer/oak forest. Good grower here and suitable also for outer garden in milder climate if planted in sheltered spot against a warm fence.

Lovely form in which the normally acid-lemon flowers are instead distinctly orange shaded. Known also as ‘Orange Glow’. The shade is difficult to portray accurately but is clearly distinct from the type. But do not expect tangerine flowers – the colour difference is subtle, you really need both forms side by side to realise the difference. Stock comes from Gothenburg BG and was carefully multiplied from single tuber.

By flower it something resembles Eranthis cilicica, main differences are hidden underground - its tubers more resembles Eranthis iranica, than Turkish E. cilicica tubers. It was found in Iranian Kurdistan, along road from Saquez to Iraq border, very far from area where E. cilicica is known to grow.

Actually more correct name for it is Shibateranthis longistipitata and it is a Central Asian species with a miniature ruff of highly divided leaves behind a bright yellow bloom. This flower is sometimes bronzed on the reverse with youth but it is bright, cold yellow and sits on long pedicel well over the rosette of leaves. The whole sits on a 5 cm stem. Prolific with its small grain (may be better to be characterised as poppy seed) like offsets which form on the main tuber. This is best left undisturbed in humus-rich, well-drained, soil, planted 5-8 cm deep.

Eremurus lactiflorus is a species from Central Asia, easily recognized by the orange colored buds and milky white flowers. It is one of my favourites which I successfully grew outside in my former garden based on sandy soil, but now it is grown under cover. It is smaller than its large relatives and flower stem reach around 0.7-1 m length, but it is densely covered by large white flowers. Really only very few to sell.

One of the largest and most beautiful dog-tooth violet from Euro-asian group, with large purple flowers with very special flower segments base colour. Very rarely offered and only few for sale.

Erythronium multiscapoideum 'Cliftonii' was grown up by me from seeds collected wild in Californian mountains. This is the so-called "cliftonii" form but I have as yet not found an officially published description of the name.The large bright white flowers have broader tepals than other erythroniums. The lower half of the tepals are yellow with orange markings at the base. It is vigorous garden plant which need warm, rather dry summer dormancy. In IPNI its name is registered as E. multiscapideum but more known under name used here.

The Siberian ally of E. dens-canis flowering later and with much larger, bright cyclamen-purple flowers and yellow anthers all at the same level. Very beautiful! Planted under shrubs in half shade naturalizes.

Excellent variant of Erythronium sibiricum known only from limited area around its locus classicus. It was published by me as subspecies of E. sibiricum, but after checking of DNA its status was rised to species level by Russian botanists. The main difference between both are in colour of anthers: in E. sulevii they are black whilst in typical E. sibiricum, - yellow. Extremely rare and never before was offered. Very limited stock.

This Californian species is now well established in cultivation from introductions made many years ago, although it is a great rarity in the wild, with a limited distribution. Erythronium toulumnense makes plain leaves and long spikes of bright pure yellow flowers early in the Erythronium season. Easy in any reasonable garden soil, best with humus and light shade. Our stock is raised from wild collected seeds which I baught from Ron Ratko in USA and contrary to Dutch form is fertile.

The genus Fessia was separated from Scilla by Spetha, who split scillas into many new/old genera. Not all of those "new" genera was accepted, but Fessia is one of those which was acknowledged by most of botanists and in Kew. The species of Fessia are distributed wild from Iran (inclusive Aserbaijan Talish) up to Pakistan and into former soviet Central Asian states - Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. More about Fessias you can read into International Rock Gardener (online journal of Scottish Rock Garden Club) following link http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019May311559296345IRG113.pdf On the picture Fessia gorganica (not offered this year).

Although something similar to F. greilhuberi, both are easy separable, because Fessia hokenackeri goes in winter without leaves. New foliage sits below spikes of quite large, pendulous, reflexed blooms of light blue. A native of Caspian woodlands of Iran but well growing here in a light well-drained soil with some humus.

This is a slow clump forming variety of Celandine, with wonderful bronze buds opening into lovely double yellow flowers in early spring over dark green leaves. They give good spring colour under trees or shrubs, disappearing in summer when they are totally dormant. Easy to grow in either sun or part-shade, any good soil.

This beautiful form was selected by Taavi Tuulik on Hiiumaa island in Estonia. At the very start they look like “buttons” but later develop long petals. Flowers very abundantly and is a good addition to the already known varieties.

A widespread native of Turkey having glaucous leaves and up to three vivid lizard-green bells infused yellow at the tip and inside, all on stems only 15-25 cm tall. Very adaptable and easy growable in a sunny raised bed in well-drained soil.

Flowers white with green nectaries, a very floriferous and vigorous form from Hodji-obi-Garm village in the upper reaches of the Varsob river, the Hissar mnt. range, Tajikistan.

This species comes from Iran and has comparatively broad leaves and lovely, large bells of pale yellowish green, varyingly checkered from lightly to heavily on petal edges or all over, in deep brown – very variable, as you can judge from attached pictures.Flowers open on remarkably short plants which quickly elongate to be quite tall. Easy in open garden as well as in alpine house.

Flowers dark reddish purple with a bright yellow upper third of the tepals and up to five on a 15-20 cm stem. Quite variable but we offer a very good form grown from wild collected seed.

A superb and little known Iranian species. In colour the flowers are similar to F. michailovskyi but they are arranged on a much taller stem and the flowers are more rounded, parallel-sided and they do not recurve at the mouth; it is more floriferous than the typical michailovskyi. In addition reuteri has wider, curled, basal leaves. From the Zagros Mountains in Iran.

Flowers pinkish with a purplish base, only 5-12 cm high. Should be kept dry during summer. Collected in the Ugam mnt. range, Uzbekistan.

Native to the western Himalayas and Asia Minor Fritillaria uva-vulpis has dusty purple to dark mahogany, bell shaped flowers with yellow tips of flower segments in mid, but more to late spring. Excellent for pots, where grows up to 30 cm tall. In garden needs full sun to half shade and well drained but vernally wet soil where it can grow for years increasing in numbers.

A close relative of G. charlesii but growing wild in Iran and with much more attractive leaves. Just the leaves are the main feature adding a special beauty to tuberous geraniums. Free-flowering nature and the compact habit result in that the whole plant is completely covered in gorgeous pink-purple blossoms.

A lovely form of this excellent and easy species, with purple-pink flowers veined all over the petal surfaces with darker purple. If you grow it outside look for sunny, well-drained spot. The more fertile the soil, the better the results. Can stay without replanting for several years. Originally was collected in Iran.

A beautiful Asian Gladiolus found from Anatolian Turkey to Iran and Iraq, where it grows in many. varied habitats on limestones in machies and clearings of Pinus forest. Seem to be hardy for outsider garden too but needs well drained spot.

Gladiolus atroviolaceus is native to Turkey, Iraq, Israel and Iran and has deep violet-purple flowers and blooms late spring to early summer. Offered stock originally was collected by myself in Turkmenistan as early as in 1982 and all the time kept in collection without great attention - grown at first in open garden but later in pots in polytunnel. Very rarely offered although belongs to the most beautiful species from Northern hemisphere.

Very rarely offered, (actually I don’t know any offer of it before mine) from Zagros mountains in Iran where it was collected on steep slopes just on roadside before ploughed fields, on open spots between thick shrubs. Collected already in 2008, it is offered only now. It is tall growing species, blooming here in late spring or early summer. Stock is very limited.

Reticulate irises - A - (sometimes regarded as different genus Iridodyctium) in most cases are not very difficult in garden but you must provide excellent drainage as they don't like (with few exceptions) moisture after end of blooming and in summer. Excellently growth in pots and many are used for forcing, too. Another group of bulbous irises known under common name Juno-irises (regarded as separate genus Juno by some botanists) has thick additional roots at base of bulb. You must be careful during repotting (replanting in garden) and bulb cleaning for not to break them off. It will seriously weaken plant in next season or it can even die, although sometimes those roots can be used for propogation, too. Many are more tolerant to garden conditions, although some are very difficult even in pots. All (with very few exceptions) prefair dry conditions during summer. Review about species of reticulata irises you can find in online magazine of Scottish Rock Garden Club - International Rock Gardener - following link http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2019Apr261556270768IRG_112_April_2019.pdf

This tiny iris is known from the vicinity of Gaziantep (Turkey) and for a long time was regarded as a variety of Iris histrio, although the only common feature for them both is the prominently blotched lamina. In I. aintabensis the blotches are more concentrated around the yellow ridge, while in I. histrio they tend to congregate towards the edges. Flowering early in the year, this is the best form of reticulata irises for garden growth, although the correctly named plant has been scarce of recent years

This species has special shape of leaves - they are almost round with 8 ribs, whilst Iris reticulata leaves are quadrangular with only 4 ribs. It is clump-forming species if left undisturbed for several years, although I recommend annual repotting what provides better protection against ink-disease. Stock was collected wild in Iran not far from Turkish border, variable in colour.

Those plants were collected wild in Georgia and has typical purple main colour and large flowers which characterizes form bringing name "caucasica".

There are many different samples collected wild in Iran and Turkey about which I'm very doubtful that they can be named as typical Iris reticulata. They most likely belongs to still not recognised new species, but there is needed special research and I don't know that some will be occupied with this. Offered here is sample collected in Iran, near Kurdistan's border.

It is the first time when true Iris zagrica is offered at all, at least I don't know any other offer of true species. Unfortunately its publication in Iris group bulletin of RHS and in Curtis' Botanical Magazine was accompanied with a lot of mistakes in illustrative material, so it was unclear - what is true Iris zagrica. For a long time I regarded this one as new species, and only finding it in wild by myself, comparing with plants from Iranian and Iraq Kurdistans later published as irises marivanica, avromanica and zetterlundii, careful checking of pictures and literature, correspondence with other travellers allowed to decipher this enigma. True Iris zagrica is tiny plant growing wild in Lorestan on dry slopes. Not the most easy, but its beauty of contrast between white or even creamy flower parts with almost blackish falls, is worth of applied efforts. Only very few offered!

This well known species comes from Turkey, although is very widespread in Mediterranean. Tall spikes of greenish-yellow, purple-tipped fertile flowers crowned by a tassel of long-stemmed glowing purple infertile flowers makes very spectacular view when planted in small groups.

Giant muscari - the best name for this real giant belonging to genus Laopoldia. You can judge about its size from picture where Henrik Zetterlund is posturing when we found it. We supposed this as new species, but later was found that it already was published. Forms large bulbs but I offer seedlings which must grow still 1-2 years to reach blooming size.

Muscari in general are much overlooked plants but among them are incredible beauties. Among the best is one of the rarest in the wild species, discovered not long ago and known only by a few plants in three small localities. Although in the wild it grows in very special conditions on glistening white ground composed of marble or limestone chips, in culture it turned out to be a very good grower in a standard pot mix, too. I’m offering third-generation plants from few seedlings grown up by me from 5 wild collected seeds at its locus classicus. They have very dense and “fat” spikes of a very deep blue colour.

Muscari anatolicvum in wild is growing in large area, so it is not surprisingly that populations which are growing quite distantly are something different by flower colour, blooming time and several other features insufficient to be regarded as different species but sufficient to be grown separately. This stock comes from Zyaretpesi gec. where it is growing between rocks and in clay at lower spots at altitude 1930 m o,s,l.

This stock originally was collected by Jim Archibald, Arnis Seisums and Norman Stevens on Sultandaģlari, SW from Akşehir at altitude around 1500 m, it has white bulbs, leaf development starts in autumn and has compact dark coloured flower-spikes.

This species is so variable, that many different names were applied to it and the taxonomy still is quite unclear and each author tries to make some changes. This stock of M. armeniacum was collected 25 km before Teke gec on rd Akseki – Beyshekir. at alt. 1340m wehere it was growing on rocks and has beautiful something lilac shaded flowers.

One of the lightest blue forms of this species marked with liters "ex-ex" what means - super beautiful. It was found at roadside between Gerede and Cerkes 25 km before Cerkes, at alt. 1480 m during Latvian-Swedish-Turkey expedition, so abbreviation LST what by Henrik's opinion sounds like LSD and express our excitement for finding so many beautiful plants.

This stock was found growing 19 km from Ermenek on both sides of road to Gulnar (14 km from road cross), just before Moca gec. – on right side growing on stones, between plowed up fields, on left side on slope in small openings between shrubs. It has long flower spikes and blooms very late.

I got this very unusually coloured muscari – with most green flowers ever seen – from Prof. Arne Strid, who collected it in Greece near vil. Achladea. Sometimes it was offered as M. auchadra what is incorrect spelling of its locality, but as it looks so special, some nurserymen regarded it even as a different species and used species epithet for it what could be truth.

Some botanists include this very beautiful species under M. armeniacum complex, but in wild it grows in different ecological conditions and usually makes leaves only in spring and has incredibly large and dense flower-spikes of brightest blue flowers. Leaves are distinctly wider than in M. armeniacum. This stock has light blue flowers and bloomsd very early. It comes from Czech collector Eduard Hanslik, but he didn't informed me about exact locality where it was collected.

Turkish muscari still needs careful taxonomical research. At present under the same name often are joined morphologically different and geographically distant plants. This one has bright light blue more slender flower spikes. It was collected during my first trip to Turkey 3,5 km from Uzumlu by road to Huģlu, at altitude c. 1350 m. in scrubs of Quercus & Juniperus forest.

This powder blue “Grape Hyacinth” is robust and strong, making compact, densely covered by florets and fragrant flower spikes. Unique colour not usually found in Muscari. And most interesting – it is reported as rabbit resistant. Some are regarding it as belonging to M. armeniacum, but I’m doubtful about correctness of this opinion, so I place it w3ithout species name.

A lovely, deep purple-violet flower, with a tiny white rim (on the freshly opened flowers only) this species is most distinct from the usual blue ones. My stock was collected in Iran. Still very rare plant only occasionally appearing on trade.

On attached picture you can see me between my daffodil field at Millennium when I was growing around 1500 cultivars and selected hybrids of daffodils on open field in my previous garden. Those days long ago passed away, all my daffodils in bulk were bought by 3 Dutch companies, who joined for this action. Long time I had no daffodils in my collection but then I was invited to take part in small group for travel to Spain and Portugal. I was interested in crocuses growing there, but by the way I collected some Narcissus species. I'm not specialist in their taxonomy, so in identification I follow my travel companions, famous daffodil growers and breeders - Brian Duncan, Sally Kington, Juan Andrés Varas and others. I warn, that my stocks are small, so only first customers could receive desired bulbs.

This is single daffodil species grown by me earlier and it turned up growable in open garden. Of course, blooming was not so abundant as in greenhouse. I don't know from where it comes - most likely few bulbs where in mix between some other stock bought by me long ago. It turned hardy in open garden. In greenhouse blooms very early, sometimes starts even in December.

This form originally was collected in Portugal (19PTS-015) and was noted by me just for its greenish toned perianth segments. Few and most likely only for greenhouse.

Plant of exceptional beauty in nature growing on splits of rocks with large glistening white flowers. Collected in Portugal at alt.467 m. along road from Oliva da Merida to de la Garza (19PTS-023).

Up to five, deep but bright golden flowers with a very strong scent, blooming in greenhouse from mid-March to April. In milder climates flowering freely also in garden where it is best in a fertile moist soil. Collected in Spain, between Cabra and Dona Mencia at alt. 556 m. Actually I don't know how to separate it from N. fernandesii and why one population got name of cordubensis, but other fernandesii from my colleagues in this trip. Sunny site with good drainage, lime or acid soils seem equally suitable in cultivation.

Very large, horizontal or up-facing, deep-yellow flowers on short (10 cm) but stout stems. The dark-green, prostrate leaves are borne along with the flowers. Limited to Portugal this is reputed to be best on limey soils whilst the other bulbocodium relatives are said to do better on acid soils. Readily grown outside in a raised, well-drained sunny bed, where it will happily grow through dwarf cushion plants, very good also for an alpine house pan.

A fabulous little plant restricted in the wild to just a small area of Portugal. Slender stems reach 15-20 cm height and carry one to several tiny golden flowers with long tubes, broad petals and a broad shallow cup. Despite being miniature the effect of this little gem is stunning and a potful makes a fabulous display. Good drainage and sunshine when in growth, dryish when dormant over summer. Collected on rocks near Ribomondego.

It is very large genus which contains annuals, fibrous and tuberous rooted perennials, some of them are horrible weeds, but in temperate South America are growing some of most floriferous - rhizomatous or bulb-like species which can add exceptional beauty to every garden. At blooming maximum large flowers completely covers foliage and they are surprisingly hardy - in my garden passed black frost of minus 30C during two weeks without any damage. I selected several forms of exceptional beauty.

Beautiful seedling of unknown origin, collected as self-sawn "weed" in wrong pot with different bulbs. Good grower and increaser.

A beautiful hybrid raised by Janis great friend the famous British bulb grower Kath Dryden with purple-tinted flowers covered by deep purple nervation, which suffuses in the direction to the throat and then abruptly ends at the large greenish white throat.

Excellent and very floriferous seedling with light pink flowers, resembling silent morning dawn.

An excellent selection with very large flowers, the white ground colour of petals so densely covered with a deep blue enervation that flowers seem darker blue. Leaves are very beautifully undulated but this cv. flowers so abundantly and with such large flowers that at flowering time the leaves are hidden below the wide petals.

Abundantly blooming selection of Oxalis laciniata seedlings, could be hybrid with O. enneaphylla because leaflets are not so narrow than in typical enneaphylla

Almost never offered species. It is a delightful petite plant and normally grows to around 5 cm in height. Can sometimes be tricky to grow and is best suited to alpine house. One of my stocks collected in wild turned very weak and only just, just alive, but I had some more vigorous unidentified stock which I identified only recently. On pictures plants and its strange something chain-like tuberous rhizomes.

This Iranian beauty was collected by Arnis Seisums during famous Swedish-Latvian-Iranian-Zagros-Expedition. It has pale sky blue, widely open at mouth flowers in very compact dwarf spikes. Excellent show flower for exhibition in pots. Now is found that correct name must be Pseudomuscari chalusicum.

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. Although according new approach this species belongs to genus Pseudomuscari and really it looks more as Pseudomuscari than Bellevalia, I offer it under more well-known name Bellevalia forniculata (see # 55)..

Sedums barely can be associated with bulbs, although grow in arid conditions, too. Rootstock of Pseudosedum is much sickened and tuber-like – the reason why I include them in my catalogue. Not difficult to grow, but can suffer from excessive moisture in winter as growth begins here in late autumn. I have tried them only under covering so far. This species makes up to 30 cm long stems densely covered with small cylindrical leaves of succulent type on top of which is horizontally held branched inflorescence of small pinkish flowers. Collected at Zaamin, near border between Uzbekistan and Tadjikistan at 2600 -2700 m (ARJA-9766).

A gorgeous almost pure white new species of Puschkinia, earlier regarded as colour variation of P. peshmenii. P. kurdistanica has at base greenish blue toned flowers with tiny trace of blue-green on the midribs of the buds. Later flowers become more bluish toned. It is vigorous in growth, forming 20cm tall spikes, having long pedicels, at specially at bottom flowers and is even more floriferous than P. peshmenii. Our team found this beauty during BATMAN expedition near Tatvan-Van road. Typical P. peshmenii with greenish coloured flowers (so named Rix form) was found in Hakkari province in very East Turkey, near Iranian border. More about this discovery you can read in online magazine International Rock Garden, 2019, August issue (#116) edited by Scottish Rock Garden Club.

This unusual Puschkinia was found by Dr. Arnis Seisums in Iran and from other species it is easy separable by its unusually wide leaves - their wides exceeds 3 cm, whilst in other maximum is 1.5 cm. Makes large bulbs, too.

Very special puschkinia found very far to East from locus classicus of P. peshmenii. By inflorescence and flowers it resembles P. peshmenii only its flowers are white. Is it peshmanii or some another still unpublished species? To solve this problem additional researches are needed.

This nice Scilla has only one (occasionally two) bright violet-blue flowers per scape, but the larger number of scapes which can be up to 10 from a well-established bulb well compensates for the smaller number of flowers on each scape, making it very floriferous..

Strongly looking this form must to be named as Hyacinthoides italica because at base of pedicels there are 2 minor bracts (in Scilla must be only 1 or none), but superficially it looks so similar to Scilla bifolia not only by flowers but by bulbs too that I prefer to keep it under Scilla’s. Up to 20 large waxy brightest milky white flowers in elegant, large raceme.

This species has very wide distribution and many named variants. Not all populations are equally successful in gardens. I have never succeeded with plants from W. Carpathian mountains (now named as Scilla kladnii), but offered stock is excellent grower originating from Chios Island with nice pure deep blue flowers in large spikes.

Numerous, up to 9, big, deep violet flowers on 15 cm stems. Its leaves are purple suffused and almost adpressed to the ground at flowering time, what gives the plant a charming appearance. One of my favourite scillas which mosty likely needs its own species name.

This is a very nice and distinct scilla with violet-blue flowers composed in an erect raceme. Flower segments are somewhat narrow but nicely reflexed. It was collected by BATM team in Turkey at 1200 m in cracks of rocks and under shrubs where it grew in peaty clay soil together with Hyacinthus orientalis.

An excellent form of this beautiful sp. reported as collected in Taurus mnt. range, S Turkey and received from our Czech friend Vaclav Joðt under name S. ingridae. It has numerous very long racemes with up to 10 flowers on each spike. In any case very different from the wild S. ingridae. One of the best.

One of the earliest scillas flowering in the garden together with the earliest crocuses. Flowers are bluish white with a darker midrib.

See Zagrosia persica - item #360

Flowers very beautiful vivid blue with white centre. The perianth segments are sharply reflexed like in erythroniums. I grow it in full sun, in peaty soil, never allowing it to dry out. From Chra-Ckaro pass, Georgia.

Very beautiful spring flowering species with large snow-white flowers on up to 20 cm long stem. Although hardy, it is a little risky to grow it outside here but very easy in tunnel where it perfectly increases. I never lost it completely in outside garden, although sometimes it suffered in our harsh winters. Allways of so great request that are sold up to almost last bulb and it takes many years for new offering. Last time it was offered by me 11(!) years ago.

This is one of the largest of autumn sternbergias with golden yellow goblet-shaped flowers from September onwards among wide deep green leaves. At present SS. lutea, sicula and greuteriana are regarded by botanists as one species, but they are so distinct that from a gardeners’ point of view it is better to keep them separated.

Large buttercup yellow flowers early in autumn with narrow deep green leaves. I grow it in an unheated polytunnel because outside during our winters leaves usually suffer serious damage from cold. From Greece.

This extremrely bright summer blooming bulbous plant has a nickname - Chilean crocus. Tecophilaea cyanocrocus is unique in the bulb world for the sheer depth and intensity of its fabulous deep gentian blue flowers. The colour is almost unbelievable, but in addition it has lovely, gentle scent of violets, when the air is warm and still. It really should be in every serious bulb enthusiast’s collection. Supposed to be extinct in the wild, but recently was found good population of it showing quite great variability.

A beautiful snow-melt species from Chile grown up by me from Jim Archibald's seeds with quite widely opened, conical white blooms on short stems. Need humus-rich soil, full sun and it is water tolerant.

A combination of distinctive characteristics produces an elegant triteleia. The exquisite shades of rose-pink to red-violet are rarely represented in other triteleias. There is a definite demarcation between the spreading lobes and the funnel-shaped tube. The pale, crown-like ring of exserted, blue-anthered stamens accentuates this. The paler inner surface of the throat glistens from the fine, glass-like hairs on its surface. The flowers, numbering between 14-30, are displayed in up to 15 cm large umbels on long scapes.

Grown up from seeds collected in Columbia River Gorge, Klickitat Co., WA, USA. Forming several, up to 30, 2.5 cm large flowers with a broad tube that distinctly expands into a bowl-shaped perianth. The tube is very pale violet with the lobes a few shades lighter, aging to white and with a darker coloured midvein on each of the tepals. In nature growing on shallow, gravelly clay soils with grasses. Needs good drainage.

The straw-yellow flowers with a dark purple midstripe and powder blue anthers are very attractive. They are more broadly funnel-shaped than T. laxa with the perianth lobes only slightly spreading. There are up to 20, 2.5 cm large flowers on up to 30 cm long scapes. Although in wild it grows in partly shaded spots, here it tolerates full sum. Very rarely offered, beautiful plant for garden and as cut flower.

Common name of this wonderful Triteleia is “Fool’s Onion”. It makes dense globes of glistening white, bowl-shaped perianths with wide overlapping tepals forming up to 25 flowers in large, up to 7-8 cm in diameter flower heads on 20-30 cm long stems. Wonderfully fragrant, and a good cut flower. Like other Triteleias, hyacinthina is particularly well suited to partial shade, doing especially well under trees, in early spring needs much water, but later prefer dry conditions, usually provided by tree roots..

This vigorous species occurs along the coast of Northern and Central California from Humboldt to Monterey counties and is usually found in vernally wet habitats. The bowl-shaped flowers are white, often flushed purplish on the outside or with indigo stripes on the back or occasionally pale rose-purple. In the garden it needs a lot of water late in spring or it will go dormant without blooming. It quickly forms many-stemmed clumps in cultivation. Blooms in late spring and early summer, with stems often a foot or more tall. These carry many white blossoms on long stalks. These are fine subjects for rock gardens and as cut-flower, and perfectly feel in large pots. They thrive in full sun or light shade and any reasonably well drained soil. Once the leaves have withered, they need no further watering.

Yellow form of this species of exceptional beauty and huge flowers from near Almaati in Kazahstan. Apr. 30-35 cm tall. Very few!

A nice shorttulip with big-sized crimson-red flowers, at the centre blotched black. Leaves nicely undulate. I Charming and not difficult. My stock originally was collected in NE Turkey.

A charming dwarf tulip with star-shaped deep rose-pink flowers with a purplish basal blotch diffusely edged white. Always in great demand!

I discovered this beautiful short tulip with large widely open star-like white flowers and a large deep yellow centre during my first trip to Central Asia but never had the courage to describe it as a new species. Recent cytological researches have confirmed that I was right – it really is a new tulip species.

Selection from Tulipa berkariense found in Central Asia during my first mountain trip there. This clone, found in the wild at bottom of Berkara gorge has deep purple leaves with only few green veins. Very limited stock, named after my daughter Ilze, who then was small child, but now is famous garden designer in Latvia.

Tulipa biflora represents a very confusing group of small-flowered tulips with white starry flowers, usually 2-10 per stem with many local variants with proper species names. From the Kurama mountain ridge in Uzbekistan.

Another species from bifloriformis/turkestanica group but smaller in size. Its buds and seedpods are pendant but open flowers look upward – that’s why it is the “twice down looking tulip

A part of the large and variable turkestanica/bifloriformis complex but it is perfectly distinct in the fresh state (rather than in dried herbarium specimens). This has lovely, up-facing, milky white blooms with a central yellow blotch in the centre. The anthers are also lemon yellow with the tiniest of purple tips and they are borne on yellow filaments. Each bulb can make 2-3 of its red-tinted scapes and each scape, though usually bearing a solitary flower, can branch holding 2-3 flowers each. This grows from stems around 15-20cm tall, This stock was collectedon dry sandy steppe not far from Alma-Ati, where it grew together with Tulipa behmiana.. Although it is a dry-land species, in cultivation I find it quite easy, well multiplying and setting seeds whilst T. behmiana alive only 2 seasons.

This tulip bears two or three, scented, flat star-shaped, clear yellow flowers on sturdy upright stems which have several long, narrow, folded in the center, twisted leaves. The tulip has been the favored spring bulb for centuries and originally my stock was introduced from Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

This species have white or palest pink petals with carmine-red bands on the exterior on 20-25cm stems. In sunshine, the chalice-shaped flowers open widely and close again at night or as the weather cools. The centre of flower is so deep purple, that seem to be almost black. A superb plant, but my stock is small. It blooms from small size bulbs. My stock originates from Gothenburg BG and originally was coillected in Iran.

The stock comes from very high altitudes where it flowers in late May. The late flowering habit is maintained in the garden here where it flowers with golden yellow flowers a few weeks after the traditional Dutch stock has finished. Dwarf and with grey green leaves. The last picture is scanned slide from Kugart, where we collected it during search of Iris winkleri.

True species, very different from the Dutch stock. Dwarf with 2-3 wide, slightly undulate, greyish, sometimes almost purple leaves, flowers usually yellow with red suffused petal backs, but can be red, orange and even yellow-red striped.

Flowers large, brilliant scarlet red, leaves greyish green, undulate. Some botanists regard this species as conspecific with the T. undulatifolia. Both are very different in the wild and in the cultivation, too. Our stock is raised from seed collected in Caucasus and is something variable in colour.

Flowers with pointed tips bright purest yellow, only on the outside somewhat pinkish shaded, on 20-25 cm tall stems. Leaves keeled, plain green, sometimes waved. I believe that this species is available only from me.

A most unusually coloured form of T. fosteriana with large, brightest red flowers, the edge of petals in the upper third distinctly feathered orange-yellow. Collected by me in 1977 as a single plant in Agalik valley, Zeravshan mnt.

Not surprisingly that this tulip species was nicknamed "King of Tulips"- its large, bright red flowers of surprisingly perfect form of "double cup" before opening subported by marvellous leaves with purple marbling, dotting or striping surpass everything seen in tulips. Offered are seedlings of forms collected wild in Kara-Tau Mountains, Kazahstan during my first Central Asian trips.

A superb hybrid raised by Janis from a cross between T. fosteriana and T. greigii. It looks like a polyploid form – has a very strong stem, an unusually large (tepals up to 18 cm! long) brightest deep red flower of T. greigii shape with a shiny pure black base. Makes large bulbs and perfectly increases vegetatively.

At Berkara gorge in Kara-Tau mountains of Kazahstan I found several bright yellow individuals of Tulipa greigii. Their seedlings, although something variable in colour, especially in basal blotch shape and colour and in leaf mottling, keeps the yellow colour of parents.

This excellent form of Tulipa greigii was selected from material originally collected in Berkara gorge in the Kara-tau Mountains. Flowers are very large, deep red with a large heart-shaped purplish black inner basal blotch. Leaves with pale purple stripes more prominent in the upper half.

One of the brightest red selections from my Tulipa greigii seedlings, excellent grower, beautiful shape of flower.

Flowers dark yellow, inner base black with a very wide dark red edge, leaves distinctly undulate, striped purple. Raised from a cross with T. vvedenskyi.

A fantastic selection of wild T. greigii from the Kara-Tau mountains with brightest red flowers in a typical greigii shape and a large yellow basal blotch topped by brownish black “caps”.

Huge orange-scarlet flowers, with a black base surrounded or not by a yellow margin. The outer segments are marked with a touch of green and reflex slightly with age. The original plants were collected by myself twice - in early 80-ies in Kopet-Dag mountains Turkmenistan part, but was lost during years. I think - main reason was growing in open garden as it reacquires quite dry conditions after blooming. I restored this species in collection in 2008 but now from Iranian side of Kopet-Dag and now it is grown solely in alpine house. Very limited stock.

Flowers white with a large steel-blue centre. Sweetly fragrant. It is not the commercial stock which sometimes appear in catalogues, but distinct plants, carefully multiplied from few bulbs collected wild in Iran from population where only white flowering plants are growing. Very few and of exceptional beauty. I suppose that under name of "humilis" few different species hides.

This is very beautifully toned form of this extremely variable tulip collected on Karabel pass, Turkey, N of Lake Van on wet stony slope just after snow melting at alt. 2800 – 2900 m. It is beautiful form of great capacity which In wild is forming natural clumps of up to 16 bulbs! I suppose that it only superficially resembles T. humilis and is worth of proper name.

Lovely lemon-yellow flowers, with the outer tepals stained crimson on the exterior and with a hint of sage-green at the base characterizes this beautiful species collected by me in S Kazahstan near border with China. Inside there is no basal blotch below the yellow. The flower sits over two to four, erect, deeply channelled, glaucous leaves, on some 20-25cm tal stem. Tulipa iliensis likes a well-drained, sunny spot and has been perfectly hardy and happy even in outside garden.

During my many trips to Central Asia almost always were collected some bulbs of Tulipa kaufmanniana. Stock offered this year came from mountains of Kirghizia, not very far from Bishkek and in general has yellow flower colour.

This beautiful seedling of Tulipa kaufmanniana crossed with T. greigii was raised by Latvian tulip breeder Juris Egle and it has deeply purple striped foliage adding additional beauty to bicoloured flowers. Good grower and increaser.

Flowers light golden yellow with a dark brown basal blotch bordered by a wide red spot. Leaves soft green with a dense bright purple mottling. A hybrid with T. greigii, but in the flower shape is closer to T. kaufmanniana.

Excellent variety raised by famous botanist and author of monograph about tulips Zinaida Botschantzeva. Flowers of this variety change their color during blooming from purest white at start to pink at end. Basal blotch yellow, from large bulbs slightly striped red at edge. Height 25-30 cm. Selected from wild collected bulbs. It strongly resembles T.kaufmanniana type from Urugachsai valley in Uzbekistan.

It is semi-double selection from Tulipa kaufmanniana raised by famous Latvian tulip breeder Juris Egle (Tulpju Juris). He was surprised by himself for appearing of this double flowering seedling, so it was named ‘Surprise’.

A medium tall tulip reaching 40 cm with deep yellow, big and elegant flowers (reminds lily-flowered tulips). Colour sometimes has some reddish toned segments or flushes. From the Chu-Ili mts. in Kazakhstan.

T. kolpakowskiana usually is regarded as species with yellow flowers by which it is easy to separate from T. ostrowskiana having red flowers. This stock was collected in area where only yellow flowering plants were found as single individual of red colour. So it was identified as red form of T. kolpakowskiana.

Stems up to 20cm high. Leaves three, linear to lanceolate, strongly glaucous. Flowers usually solitary in the wild but sometimes two in cultivation, about 5cm long, brightest red, with a shining black basal blotch. Originaslly was collercted in Uzbekisdtan at Timurlan gate. Not very easy and not usable for outside garden (at least here) but so beautiful and makes so splendid pots, that worth to try! Very limited sdtock.

True stock collected wild during one of my trips to South of Tadjikistan. Easy separable from all other species because has very narrow leaves well contrasting with large bright red flowers on 15 cm long stem. It is dazzling in full sun, when the flowers open widely to their full 6 cm diameter and show their large jet-black centre. The glaucous leaves lie prostrate on the soil surface. Good grower outside.

I regard T. montana as different from T. wilsoniana with which it sometimes is joyned. I suppose that plants pictutred in marvellous monoigraph of Diane Everett under this name really are T. wilsoniana. True montana is plant of more shaded spots, growing between shrubs and under trees and is distinctly taller whiolst true wilsoniana is dwarf tulip from open, rocky spots. Offered stock was collected in Iran just on pass near Khosh Yeylaq, at alt. 2240 m.

This is another dwarf multi-flowering tulip with a beautiful compact inflorescence of white starry flowers with a yellow base, greenish on the outside. Collected in the Karatau range, Kazakhstan (RK-8111). An extremely rare species in nature, so far almost unknown in gardens; well growing outside.

Tulipa praestans was collected in spiny shrub at Hodji-obi-Garm in Tadjikistan and for almost 30 years I got no one seed or offset up to I received another plant from Arnis Seisums. After cross pollination between both I got a lot of seeds and those brightest red seedlings are now offered to you.

A very nice dwarf tulip species with china white flowers with a lemon-yellow basal blotch on 15 cm tall stems. In nature it grows in semi-desert conditions, so protection against summer rains is essential.

Close to T. praestans but easy to distinguish by its sharply pointed narrower petals which in the sun open wider than those of its ally, the colour shade is different, leaves are narrower. Generally makes only one flower per stem, rarely two. Filaments violet red. Leaves densely pubescent.

Flowers white with large yellow centre, 5-7 from a bulb on 15 cm tall pedicels in rosette of greyish green leaves. This stock comes from Kashka-Su in Khirghizstan and has more colourful flowers.

As you can guess from the name this species almost invariably have four leaves. Flowers, when open, are purest golden yellow with the base, filaments, and anthers in the same colour. Only the sepal backs are greenish pink shaded. Flowers open wide in the sun and the outer tepals reflex forming an urn.

Considered by some to be a stablised natural hybrid between T. dubia and T. kaufmanniana which forms homogeneous populations in some parts of its range. This has large yellow to red flowers on quite short stems. The flowers are vivid, golden-yellow, orange or red. A gorgeous snowmelt plant with sumptuous in the extreme flowers that are beautifully set off by blue-green to soft green foliage. As a montane meadow species seems that it does not require annual lifting, but I am replanting all my tulips annually. Limited stock.

One more of Eriostemones tulips growing wild in Eastern part of Kopet-Dag mountains and regarded by some botanists as Tulipa biflora. But, as it was proofed by several researches done by me, Dimitry Zubov and others, under name of "biflora" hides several different species. This stock was collected long ago in Turkmenistan.

This is one of many acquisitions collected under this name from large and complicated bifloriformis/turkestanica/biflora group. A lot of research still is needed to find out who is who. This comes from Ihnachsai, quite dramatical ascend when I was so week that stopped after each 100 steps, but there were found many excellent plants and even several new species and some "enigmas" of bulb world solved. Unfortunately not all of gatherings alive up today.

Although name of T. turkestanica is very well known and offered in each garden center, under this name is offered some garden selection of T. bifloriformis. I’m offering true species collected at Nuratau, Seravschan mnt. range, S Uzbekistan (ARJA-9604). Anthers usually yellow but can be yellow with black tips or blackish purple.

It is very similar to Tulipa systola and by some botanists regarded as synonymous to it, but the flower is held on longer stem and flowers inner base is black with or without yellow rim. Somrtimes yellow rim is so pronounced that black is on;ly as small blotch on it. About it I found following characterization: “A rock dweller that can be found on the steep cliffs of the Olang Pass (2200 m) in the Elburz Mountains, east of Tehran. You can spot the flowers from the car, but how to get there? You have to climb like a mountain goat to see them up close”. I climbed up and collected few bulbs. The total view of plant is so special, that there are no problems to separate in from allied TT. stapfii and systola. It is not easy to grow and with me it is suitable only for pots

Tulipa vvedenskyi in nature is quite uniform, bright red with beautiful shape of flowers. Very rarely can be found yellow or orange coloured individuals. The greatest variability is in shape of leaves which in best forms are nicely and intensively undulated, and in base colour of flowers which can be pure yellow, pure black or black with yellow rim of different shape. This species quite well multiplies by splitting of bulbs. Excellent for growing in open garden as well as in deep pots.

Another selection of Tulipa vvedenskyi with bright golden yellow flower centre.

Flowers yellow with orange flush, inside yellow with orange spotting up to the middle of petals, base glossy black with wide yellow edge; leaves very undulated, almost purple. Latest blooming of Janis hybrids and one of the best!

Flowers open wide, in a delicate pinkish red shade. The inner base yellow with long brown brush marks in the centre, on inner tepals shorter, only at the top of the basal blotch. Leaves with purple stripes.

Flowers yellow with an orange flush, inside yellow with orange spotting up to the middle of the tepals, the base glossy black with a wide yellow edge; leaves much undulate, almost purple. Latest of Janis hybrids and one of the best! A complex hybrid which has genes from three species. The seed parent is T. vvedenskyi, the pollen parent is a hybrid between T. fosteriana and T. greigii. The colour gradually changes - at start of blooming flowers are more yellow, but at end - more red.

Flowers very bright red with slightly lilac tint, inner base brownish black on yellow background; leaves plain greyish-green, slightly undulated. Excellent for planting in grass, too. Raised from cross with T. albertii.

Very bright red flower of perfect form on strong stem not exceeding 25 cm and nicely undulated grey-green leaves brings this hybrid on show-winners bench. Basal blotch black strongly rimmed with narrow yellow line.

Genus Zagrossia was split out of Scilla by German botanist Franz Speta and belongs to those few new species which splitting from scillas was accepted by most of botanists (as well as Fessia - see higher). Zagrosia persica has long, slender racemes of bright mid-blue, starry flowers of bright mid-blue placed on long, slender racemes, each one on a long flower-stalk. Flowering progresses up the stem as the buds open and the total time in bloom is much longer than in the other "scillas". In nature it is growing on vernally extremely wet spots, sometimes springing out even from water, but during summer seems that need dry conditions. I'm growing it only in pots, abundantly watered up to culmionation of blooming, after that watering is gradually minimized providing dry second half of summer. I think it could be growable outside as well.