Dear Friends, Before the sun heats up the garden, I did my morning patrol and was impressed at Lycoris caldwellii. I mentioned this species briefly in a recent note to PBS. This species is a member of the subgenus Lycoris mostly characterizes by the spidery flowers and fall foliage (though not all fit this generalization). L. cadwellii is an exception in both ways. The flowers are more 'nearly' regular than spidery and foliage appears in spring. The karyotype is identical to that of L. squamigera (2n = 27) and has been sterile here. Like L. squamigera it could be a natural hybrid involving L. sprengeri and L. straminea, but this is just guessing. The flowers in bud show pink stripes similar to L. incarnata, but the buds open a uniform pale yellow tipped with faint pink. During my walk I realized it is planted in six parts of the garden. The most exposed, driest and largest planting is not blooming well. Four short stalks where there should be dozens. Elsewhere the stalks are nearly full size and each site has multiple stems nearly normal. This is very different from all other Lycoris this season . Where they managed to bloom at all, single stems were more common than multiple stems and they were distinctly shorter than normal. Perhaps L. caldwellii shows some better drought tolerance by blooming at nearly normal season, two weeks to 10 days after L. squamigera. So although the pale flowers are subdued, they still are produced in clumps and in the cooler morning air are certainly worth the stroll. On all counts it has performed as well as L. squamigera. Anyone else care to share a good word on this lesser grown Lycoris species.? Best Jim W. -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +