Dear Friends, A few years ago, a generous PBS member sent me a bulb of xAmarcrinum. It has grown well and expanded in its nursery pot, but I have not yet been brave enough to try it in the ground. I'd sure appreciate any experience with hardiness of this hybrid outdoors in Zone 5/6. Ths fall, I'll pot up one of the suckers and winter it in the green house along with its parent, but plant the 'pup' outdoors next spring. Still no bloom. Two years ago I saw bulbs of xAmarcrinum at a local garden center. You know those things hanging on the wall in plastic bags from some anonymous Dutch wholesaler? Since my original had not bloomed, I bought a second for a different test subject. This bulb also went into a similar size and shape pot and had produced 2 pups before the end of the first season. It has continued to grow more vigorously than my first specimen. I was suspicious. Now it has sent up a flower spike and my fears were confirmed - C. x powellii and a not very good one at that. Crinum x powellii is a good hardy Crinum for me, but I not need more. I plan to donate some to the BX later this year. When should xAmarcrinum actually bloom and will it even do so in a large nursery pot? Together with hardiness comments, maybe I should just give up on this all together. I need encouragement or dis -.... The best of times, the worst of times........... 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 +