Jim SHields asked, What I don't know is whether Placea are summer or winter growing, but I >surmise form your comments and the native habitat that they might want to >grow in the winter. Can anyone comment on this? The ones I've seen are in the subalpine zone (foothills) and grow and flower in spring, being summer-dormant. I saw them growing among scrub on a very steep hillside in rocky soil that would dry out severely in summer. I agree with Jim that it's easiest to germinate and grow on Rhodophiala, Placea, and Phycella by planting the seeds directly where the bulbs are to remain for a couple of years. However, I haven't had much luck keeping them permanently, except for R. pratensis and R. advena. Managed to flower Rhodophiala rhodolirion once in the bulb frame and then it died. I haven't grown any Placea, but I have some young Phycella seedlings thanks to Terry Laskiewicz, who had the optimism to harvest what I thought were very unripe seeds and the generosity to share them with me. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA