Description
(antalyensis of horticulture)
The blue, yellow and white plants grown in horticulture as Crocus antalyensis have been separated off as a separate species in the current trend to describe every Crocus variant as a new species. For once however this does appear to be a sensible description. The new species has a distribution within Turkey which is much more to the north of the range of what is now regarded as C. antalyensis proper.
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. This is proving to be an excellent garden plant this species is difficult to find fault with.
Dense clumps of palest blue-lilac tinged flowers (in this strain) and a large orange-yellow throat, redolent of the scent of honey.
A fully hardy, mountain species. It was originally grown as a field crop in Holland, and has been fully hardy here over many years. The seed strain offered (hand pollinated seed by the way) was raised from parents selected for their particularly good, pale blue colouring (parent is illustrated) however as with all seed-raised plants , there will be variation so expect pale flowers also, with perhaps a chance of darker forms.
