Miscellaneous spring bulbs

Found this stunning series of photos on the "Visit West Crete" tourist web site, some excellent plant portraits there!

A floral ballet in motion:  Urginea maritima - Charybdis maritima - Sea squill
http://www.west-crete.com/flowers/urginea_maritima.htm

How I would like to grow Androcymbium rechingeri, ooh la la!
http://www.west-crete.com/flowers/androcymbium_rechingeri.htm

Love that rhinopetalum section, especially!

It is clear to me that Fritillaria is best cultivated indoors! I have tried several outside but slugs devour them as fast as they germinate in spring :( (And my climate isn't the best either)

LucS wrote:

More bulbs to cultivate indoors for the best results :
Tulipa regelii, a semi-desert species with the most remarkable leaf

Remarkable leaves indeed!  Nice collection of little Tulipa species.  I remember Janis Ruksans showing many others, seems there are a whole bunch of "look-alikes" with the general appearance of T. turkestanica, most notably T. bifloriformis. The latter species I find to be an excellent rock garden species outdoors, and seeds about nicely (particularly if 'encouraged' by scratching in the seed).

Luc, you certainly have an impressive collection of well grown plants!

It is clear to me, Luc and Wim, that the spring is far more advanced in Belgium than here in Norway - both inside and outside ;D
I have had Fritillaria bucharica outside but it was shortlived! The slugs seemingly are very fond of Fritillaria.

Tony, nice plants! How hardy are Cyclamen pseudibericum? I have several other Cyclamen species in the garden, the slugs let them alone.

I'm late in replying, lots of good plants posted here, thanks for posting!

Last autumn I received bulbs of two forms of Colchicum kesselringii, I include a photo of one of those two forms.  The following shows a form from Jane McGary, the blooms are leafless and are incredibly tiny and cute; a good candidate for a trough.  The second form is a JCA collection, with flowers 4 times the size and spread wide open, with a short basal leaf showing, and taller stems (still short though), hardly seems like the same species... I have not included a photo of the second form.

An update to my previous post about Colchicum kesselringii, here is a photo take on this cold gray day, showing two forms I'm growing.  In the distance is the tiny form from Jame McGary, and in front of it is another form, identified as ex. S&V 94-90, HBG 1998.  The Jane McGary form is leafless when in flower, and as in crocus the flowers only open in bright sun.  The second form has basal foliage showing, and has flowers that are about 4x larger, with much longer tubes and splayed open flowers that stay open regardless of light.  I like the smaller form better.  Thanks for these JJF.

Supposed to snow starting this afternoon, so thought I'd snap some photos even with the buds closed; this is Colchicum doerfleri, another of the very small spring blooming species.  I received this several years ago from friend J. John Flintoff, and they degree of hairiness is variable, some show a fringe of hairs along the leaf edges, and another is downy with fine hairs all over the leaves.  After flowering, the leaves stay small and downy; a real cutie.

Really cool stuff Mark.  The hairs are certainly an added attraction on the last one for me. 
What conditions are your Colchicums growing in?

RickR wrote:

Really cool stuff Mark.  The hairs are certainly an added attraction on the last one for me. 
What conditions are your Colchicums growing in?

Nothing special in terms of growing conditions, I typically excavate a 6" deep hole, and amend the our native rocky silty-clay soil with about 50% sand.

I went back and found a few photos from 2010, the photo on the left showing that the bulbs I received represent two forms, one only sparingly hairy but with larger more abundant light pink flowers, and one that is very hairy, with smaller less abundant deeper pink flowers.  I like them both.  The next two photos show the hairy foliage.

Colchicum doerfleri

Really good stuff Wim, nice Corydalis, and others, we hope to get a hint of such things in the weeks to come.  I have a friend that is enthusiastic about some well-behaved forms of Ranunculus ficaria.  Ranunculus ficaria 'Greenpetal' certainly looks intriguing close-up.  Does it have any visual impact in the garden, or is it one of those collectors "BIO plants" (an acronym borrowed from George Schenk, meaning Botanical Interest Only).  I rather like this green-flowered Ranunculus, but wonder what the whole plant looks like from afar.

WimB wrote:

Thanks Mark,
there are not a lot R. ficaria cultivars which are well behaved in the garden. Except maybe for the sterile doubles which don't seed around so that's one way less in which they can take over the garden. R. ficaria 'Greenpetal' hasn't got a strong visual impact in the garden. You can see in the first pic how the plant as a whole looks, it's "BIO plant"  ;) (Although I must mention that I planted this cultivar this year so it might get bigger and more distinct in the following years)
The second pic is of R. ficaria 'Salad Bowl' which is one of the most beautiful cultivars to me.

These two R. ficaria cultivars are just "too cool"; love the name 'Salad Bowl' too... I think we'll be seeing StephenB over here with a name like that ;D  Thanks for showing the whole plant; while understated, it has a chartreuse appeal, and the extra crinkly buds add to the effect.  I will send a link to my ficaria-fancier friend, to take a look at these. I wonder what Ranunculus (aka Cliff Booker) thinks of these Rananculus?

...and here I am :)

Actually, Ranunculus ficaria does appear occasionally in my "Salad Bowl" these days! Leaves have a good mild flavour, but should only be used raw early in the spring before flowers appear (as it does become mildly toxic later on). I had been sceptical for many years and never tried it, but was persuaded by other foragers telling me that I was missing one of the best spring salad plants in addition to learning that this species has been one of the most common wild gathered edibles in the Mediterranean countries right up to present in mountain villages (used in salads and cooked). It's common name also refers to its edibility in several European languages - including the Norwegian Vaarkaal which means spring cabbage - I think that can be traced back to Linnea who wrote that it was edible.

I visited the Hortus Botanicus in Firenze (Florence) Italy a few years ago - there's  a fantastic collection of wild gathered edibles including Ranunculus ficaria -  you can see the sign below; it says that "stems, leaves and raw tubers, pickled buds, and a few flowers decorating salads are used". However, it also warns not to use when flowering!

Actually, what I was going to ask when I saw this thread was whether anyone had suggestions for hardy cultivars? The common and garden one is pretty hardy, but the other ones I've tried so far haven't made it - Chedglow and Green Petal for example. My quest: the tastiest ficaria cultivar  ;)

McDonough wrote:

I wonder what Ranunculus (aka Cliff Booker) thinks of these Rananculus?

Oh Mark,
As with politics, religion and untimely death I try to avoid discussions about R. ficaria as they seldom feature on my ranunculus radar in any way.  I adore and covet all the high mountain buttercups (and appreciate and cultivate many of the less demanding species), but rank R. ficaria cultivars about as interesting and worthy of my time as snowdrops, chrysanthemums, dahlias and hyacinths.  (I can hear the murmurings, catcalls and derision from here so I have invested in some earplugs before responding to your query)!   :D

Booker wrote:

Oh Mark,
...but rank R. ficaria cultivars about as interesting and worthy of my time as snowdrops, chrysanthemums, dahlias and hyacinths.  (I can hear the murmurings, catcalls and derision from here so I have invested in some earplugs before responding to your query)!   :D

Well Cliff, you needn't worry about any derision from me on those, although admission of less than penultimate reverence for snowdrops is a horticultural offense in the UK, isn't it? ;D

McDonough wrote:

Booker wrote:

Oh Mark,
...but rank R. ficaria cultivars about as interesting and worthy of my time as snowdrops, chrysanthemums, dahlias and hyacinths.  (I can hear the murmurings, catcalls and derision from here so I have invested in some earplugs before responding to your query)!   :D

Well Cliff, you needn't worry about any derision from me on those, although admission of less than penultimate reverence for snowdrops is a horticultural offense in the UK, isn't it? ;D

Punishable by a lobotomy ... or certainly severe pruning!!!  ;D

Colchicum kesselringii, starting to go over, but I like how the blooms are gently reclining.  By the way, the flowers are richly fragrant on this tiny plant.

A very handsome species, Mark! Even in its last days.

Wim, your spring is certainly more advanced than mine!
Nice clump of the Italian bluebell you have! I grow the commom and the Spanish bluebells, the Italian I haven't tried but it seems to be a lovely plant. Does it self seed around?

WimB wrote:

Hoy wrote:

Nice clump of the Italian bluebell you have! I grow the commom and the Spanish bluebells, the Italian I haven't tried but it seems to be a lovely plant. Does it self seed around?

Trond,

I have it since two years and I haven't seen any seedlings yet.

Wim, is that a good or bad trait? - or it is to early to tell it's nature?
The Spanish bluebell (or possibly the hybrid with the common) selfseeds everywhere her but I do not mind!

Nice miscellany Wim.  I wonder how hardy Hyacinthoides italica is; my assumption is that it's not hardy here, but would like to hear the experience of others who are growing this most attractive species.  'Little Beauty' is a little beauty :D, one of my favorites here, should be in bloom in a couple weeks, the Tulipa are jumping out of the ground, with T. bifloriformis always being the first to open, and might in fact open any day now.

A couple of items, on the left is Fritillaria pudica in bud, lots of seedling plants in various years growth.  On the right is Colchicum doerfleri at full anthesis (2 forms).  New leaf rosettes are showing nearby, so I think I'm finally starting to see some bulb increase.  This is a species appropriately sized for a trough; where it's fuzzy leaves could be seen at close hand.

WimB wrote:

Trond,

for me that's a good trait...it's growing in my rock garden and I don't want it to take over. I'll check if it even sets seed this year and I'll let you know.
I have Spanish Bluebells in the garden too and they spread very rapidly indeed...I don't mind either.

Thanks Wim ;D

Mark, I am looking forward to your F pudica! I have tried it here with no luck so far, neither have I had luck with other than the most common Colchicums either :( Nice to see that you are luckier or a better gardener (or with a better climate ;)

Hoy wrote:

Mark, I am looking forward to your F pudica! I have tried it here with no luck so far, neither have I had luck with other than the most common Colchicums either :( Nice to see that you are luckier or a better gardener (or with a better climate ;)

Trond, I don't think it is about being a better or worse gardener, I just don't have much of a slug problem here.  From the sound of it, slugs are your main nemesis.  I can understand, when I lived in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle Washington, I was overwhelmed by the constant war on gastropods.  One can fight that war, or acquiesce to the situation and grow more woodies and plants not beloved by slugs.  For every plant I couldn't grown in the Seattle area, there were plenty of other plants that I could grow that would be ungrowable back in the colder New England climate where I am now, it all balances out in the long run :D

So, enjoy your Rhododendron sutchuenense, it is beautiful, I wish I could grow it, but I have all but given up on growing most rhodies in my summer hot-and-dry garden and my winter cold-and-wind-dessicated garden.

McDonough wrote:

Hoy wrote:

Mark, I am looking forward to your F pudica! I have tried it here with no luck so far, neither have I had luck with other than the most common Colchicums either :( Nice to see that you are luckier or a better gardener (or with a better climate ;)

Trond, I don't think it is about being a better or worse gardener, I just don't have much of a slug problem here.  From the sound of it, slugs are your main nemesis.  I can understand, when I lived in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle Washington, I was overwhelmed by the constant war on gastropods.  One can fight that war, or acquiesce to the situation and grow more woodies and plants not beloved by slugs.  For every plant I couldn't grown in the Seattle area, there were plenty of other plants that I could grow that would be ungrowable back in the colder New England climate where I am now, it all balances out in the long run :D

So, enjoy your Rhododendron sutchuenense, it is beautiful, I wish I could grow it, but I have all but given up on growing most rhodies in my summer hot-and-dry garden and my winter cold-and-wind-dessicated garden.

Yes Mark, I know and agree - but I always want to have those beautiful plants that I see others are growing! I want to look at the plant in flesh and not in pixels ;D

Since I don't have a greenhouse, I have long accepted pixelated plants, thus my enthusiasm for armchair botanizing ;D

McDonough wrote:

Since I don't have a greenhouse, I have long accepted pixelated plants, thus my enthusiasm for armchair botanizing ;D

I have two greenhouses but neither are warm or very friendly in winter! And I prefere the sofa and books or magazines ;)

Erythronium japonicum - is at least 1-2 weeks earlier than dens-canis.