Crocus South of Dallas

Published Thursday, February 08, 2007 by Chris | E-mail this post

Why shouldn’t horses graze on the side of the road? At this point in the year, many pastures have been grazed to the ground, and I guess in this case the grass really is greener on the other side. Just make sure your horses don’t spook please.

For the longest time I have told people that a crocus can't survive in Texas. When I presented at the US Botanic Garden a couple weekends ago, a gentleman stopped me and asked me if I was sure about that. Knowing the education of the group, I hesitated and said, "I'm not sure." NEVER make a universal statement about nature...it will always surprise you.

This crocus seemed to have performed wonderfully in Texas--maybe we have some crocus that perform well for Texas and the lower South. Can anyone help me identify this Crocus? I believe it is Crocus vitellinus. Brad discovered it in a yard South of Dallas. The location was now a hair salon, but the house used to belong to an avid gardener. This particular bulb has a delightful scent and sent up numerous flowers. The striping patterns, scent, and time of bloom seem to be the most distinguishing factors.

My old friend brought his Weimaraner to the cabin this last weekend and they absolutely loved each other….most of the time (as long as food wasn’t involved!) A special thanks to Jacob, Drew, and David who stayed up until 4AM Saturday night installing a shower for me and Brad. Sorry I couldn’t stay up with you; I guess I’m getting too old.