If one compares two of the seemingly disparate areas where lycoris do not do well, California and parts of Europe, then a hint emerges about the requirements of these plants. My take is that they fail in California because the summers are so dry. I suspect that they fail in Europe because the summers are so cool. In general, they thrive in areas with hot, moist summers. The average July temperature in Germany is 22 degrees C or 72 degrees F. The average summer temperature in Washington, D.C. is 27 degrees C or 80 degrees F. I've read that Lycoris squamigera blooms in England when given English tomato treatment: under glass (for heat). Jim McKenneyMontgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where a wide range of lycorises thrives. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/