blooming crocus by prutzworks
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Description
Crocus (English plural: crocuses or croci) is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family comprising 90 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. Crocuses are native to woodland, scrub, and meadows from sea level to alpine tundra in central and southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, on the islands of the Aegean, and across Central Asia to western China.
The name of the genus is derived from the Greek ���º��������º���¿��� (krokos). This, in turn, is probably a loan word from a Semitic language, related to Hebrew ������¨��������� kark���m, Aramaic ������������ª���������¡���¡��� kurkama, and Arabic ������±������ kurkum, which mean "saffron" ( Crocus sativus), "saffron yellow" or turmeric (see Curcuma). The English name is a learned 16th-century adoption from the Latin, but Old English already had croh "saffron". The Classical Sanskrit � �¤ï¿½� �¥ï¿½� �¤ï¿½� �¥ï¿½� �¤ï¿½� �¥ï¿½� �¤�®� �¤ï¿½ kunkumam "saffron" (Sushruta Samhita) is presumably also from the Semitic word.
Cultivation and harvesting of Crocus sativus for saffron was first documented in the Mediterranean, notably on the island of Crete. Frescos showing them are found at the Knossos site on Crete] as well as from the comparably aged Akrotiri site on Santorini.
The first crocus seen in the Netherlands, where crocus species are not native, were from corms brought back in the 1560s from Constantinople by the Holy Roman Emperor's ambassador to the Sublime Porte, Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. A few corms were forwarded to Carolus Clusius at the botanical garden in Leiden. By 1620, the approximate date of Ambrosius Bosschaert's painting (illustration, below), new garden varieties had been developed, such as the cream-colored crocus feathered with bronze at the base of the bouquet, similar to varieties still on the market. Bosschaert, working from a preparatory drawing to paint his composed piece spanning the whole of spring, exaggerated the crocus so that it passes for a tulip, but its narrow, grass-like leaves give it away.
The cup-shaped, solitary, salverform flower tapers off into a narrow tube. Their colors vary enormously, although lilac, mauve, yellow, and white are predominant. The grass-like, ensiform leaf shows generally a white central stripe along the leaf axis. The leaf margin is entire. Crocuses typically have three stamens. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species.
Some species, known as "autumn crocus", flower in late summer and autumn, often before their leaves appear. They should not be confused with a different genus of autumn-flowering plants, Colchicum
(from wiki)
captured this morning in my garden (2 months too early wheater/climate is running mad)
thanks for viewing & comments
zoom recommended
Comments (23)
giulband
Very very fine shot !!!
icerian
Uncredible. Excellent capture!
jayfar
Beautiful image Martin. We have some of this colour in our garden.
CarolusB
v nice - I thought you only did tulips!
Meisiekind
This is most beautiful Martin! Stunning light and photography!
Celart
WOW. Great DOF, light, composition etc. Very, very well done.
Jay-el-Jay
A wonderful shot of these early blooms and thanks for all the background information.
ROGERGONDRAN
Very beautiful light, depth of mastered field, just gray area or it is necessary.
Juliette.Gribnau
een prachtige en sfeervolle opname !
farmerC
Prachtige opname.
poet001
Very pretty... excellent shot!!!!!!!!!
Hendesse
Wonderful shot. Beautiful colors and great DOF.
flavia49
very beautiful
goodoleboy
A varying blend of hues, tones, lighting and focus in this esoteric composition of the lovely crocus.
sharky_
Wonderful! Aloha
whaleman
Very pretty!
dakotabluemoon
This is so pretty nice job on this capture.
ontar1
Beautiful flowers and thank you for the history!
sossy
a dream of a flower inspiration, artful captured! ;o)
moochagoo
Very nice lighting and macro.
angora
nu al??!!! sow! stunning capture, hartstikke mooi!!!
GBCalls
Awesome nature is wonderful, it is on time somehow and you caught this beautifully
danapommet
A beautiful photo and lovely colors. Very interesting information. I thought that your area of the world was the birthplace of the crocus! I learned something new today!