Description
The type species is a gorgeous, very dwarf, indeed miniature, species, that has very rich blue, open-mouthed (not pinched) flowers tipped with white. The type plant resembles the equally diminutive Muscari discolor a little but is considered much easier to flower in damp climates. It was described in 1994 from Sultan Dag, Konya province, on the western edge of the Anatolia Massif, in Turkey. There it was first found on exposed limestone ridges on the highest peak, at just short of 2,000 m.
In contrast to the normal, quite dwarf form, we offer a very lovely and substantially larger, cultivated form with long, bicoloured flowers of deep, black-violet. The shape of these is pulled in a little bit at the mouth but as the flowers have large, white, reflexing tips so they never look “pinched” in the classical sense of Muscari. A small upper tuft of sterile flowers in light blue sets the whole off.
Though the name (not ours) implies a “Giant form” please realise that this is a giant form of a naturally miniature species, which is, I suppose rather like calling it a “giant Chihuahua”!
Ideal in an alpine house pot although it is more than capable of taking cold and wet weather.
Muscari anatolicum Giant Form