Description
A species that we have seldom offered as it can be both difficult to obtain and unreliable in growth. However by concentrating on the most growable and garden-worthy forms, some stocks have now been raised that seem well suited to cultivation. This is a brand new stock, which originally came to us from a German botanic garden. The collection number is theirs.
It is propagated vegetatively and by hand-pollinated seed from the best forms originating in a collection made in north-eastern Greece on Mount Pangaion at 1,750m close to the main peak (1,956m), considerably higher than any of our other accessions. All that have flowered here, in this strain, have had very large, purple-violet flowers which often have darker outer petals. This is a beautifully coloured form and also one of our larger-flowered ones. The flowers, lack any trace of yellow in the throat – as is normal for C.veluchensis.
C.veluchensis likes to be grown cool & not too dry. It does well here in a pot but it may be just as good outside. Moist, humus-rich soil or compost, not drying too much in the summer and not too hot at any time, for best results. This will make its new roots before the old ones die away, so it needs moist (not wet) compost at all times and it should NOT be severely rested nor dried in the summer, if grown in pots.
