ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE

Selection of perennials

About 80 species from the Mediterranean through the Caucasus and Central Asia to western China, 23 in the FSU, mainly in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Some are well known in cultivation (C. speciosus Bieb. adorns many gardens in Europe and in the USA), others are poorly known (e.g. C. alatavicus Regel et Semen., C. angustifolius Weston, C. heuffelianus Herb., C. korolkowii Regel ex Maw, C. scharojanii Rupr., C. vallicola Herb., etc.). Among them spring (C. heuffelianus, bright violet) and autumn (C. scharojanii, bright orange) flowering species. Some of the species described below are totally unknown. All are very good in the rock garden and flower beds for spring decoration. Propagation by division (daughter corms) or by seed. Require well-drained soil.

C. artvinensis (Philippow) Grossh.

Caucasus (western and southern Transcaucasus). On rocky slopes and rocky cliffs and in gorges.

Plant 5-10 cm. Corm flat-globose, tunic smooth, with 2-3 rings. Leaves glabrous, 2 mm wide. Flowers blue-violet, exterior striped black-violet. V - early spring to late spring. Fl - mid spring (May) in the wild, and (April, May) in St. Petersburg. Z 4. New.

C. autranii Albov

Caucasus (western Transcaucasus). Mountain meadows and limestone on slopes.

Plant 10-20 cm. Corm globose, small, tunic membranous. Leaves very narrow, glabrous, undeveloped at flowering time. Flowers bright violet-buff to hell violet. Fl - September, October. Fr - usually in spring. Z 4. New.

C. heuffelianus Herb. (C. bannaticus Heuffel)

Southwestern part of the FSU (Carpathians), mountain regions of Western Europe. On steppe slopes, in meadows and clearings.

Plant 25-35 cm. Corm globose, 1.5 cm diam. Leaves 20-40 x 1-2 cm, developed by flowering. Flowers 1-2, rare 3, large, up to 6 cm wide, bright or pale violet, sometimes white. V - early spring to mid summer. Fl - early spring, March, April. Fr - June. P - easily by division and seed. Cold resistant. Requires rich moist soil. Very well suited for spring decoration on lawns, the rock garden and flower beds. Very attractive because of very large flowers. Z 4 (3).

C. korolkowii Regel ex Maw

Central Asia (mountains of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). On shallow gravelly soil in juniper stands.

Plant 10-20 cm. Corm globose, 2 cm diam., with parallel-fibered tunic. Leaves 5-15, very narrow (1-2 mm wide), developed at flowering time. Flowers yellow, large, 5-7 cm long, appear in early spring. Fl -January, February in the wild, in St. Petersburg March-April for 20-30 days. Fr - May. Z 4.

C. michelsonii B. Fedtsch.

Central Asia (Kopet-Dag). Mainly found on rocky soil in alpine zone.

Plant 10-20 cm. Corm pear-shaped, tunic membranous, with parallel fibres. Leaves start to grow during flowering period, reaching 30 cm x 2 mm. Flowers large, about 7.5 cm long, violet. Fl - early spring, March in the wild, April in St. Petersburg. Z 5 (4). New.

C. pallasii Goldblatt

Crimea and the Mediterranean. On rocky slopes of hills, in steppe.

Plant 8-16 cm. Corm flat-globose, 2-3 cm diam., tunic coardely netted, finely reticulate-fibrous. Leaves narrowly linear, 0.3-0.4 cm wide, appearing in autumn and grow by spring. Flowers bright violet, yellow in throat. Fl - September, October. Fr - early spring. Z 5 (4). New.