Dear friends, The recent notes about awakening frits gives me some guilt. Last July I dug a couple clumps of Frit. persica and donated a dozen or so bulbs to BX # 177. I also planted some back in their original place and elsewhere. I put some odds and ends in a cardboard box with barely damp whole sphagnum. And then I forgot about them. Come Dec 12 (5 months later !!), I opened the box and found the largest bulbs had loss about half their weight (by guess) and there was a fist size 'nest' of succulent white roots, a few smaller bulb bits and pieces also had grown similarly. Sort of revolted at my procrastination, I put 5 'blooming size' and odd lots in a single 5 gallon nursery pot. Watered well and then I put the pot in my cold greenhouse for some protection. Now just 2 1/2 months later I have four plants starting to bloom and and a half dozen smaller stems growing. Today at 8 degrees outside, this large pot of rich chocolate-purple flowering stems is a nice show. I guess I'll let it continue to grow in the pot, put it outdoors when the weather allows and when it all goes dormant, unpot and plant the bulbs outside somewhere in a more TIMELY manner. This is either a very vigorous clone or highly 'forgiving' of my abuse or both. The bulbs originally planted outdoors won't show for weeks, but I have some confidence that they'll be 'just fine'. I am happy that they are alive, surprised they came up so well and bloom is fairly normally. I wouldn't expect Frit persica to be suited to pot culture. I'll get a picture out soon, too. 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 +