I was able to bloom Dichelostemma ida-maia once when I lived in central Pennsylvania. The bulbs were from a commercial source and were planted in the fall. The plants came up in spring and bloomed in June. Central PA is classified as zone 6 (minimum temperature 0 to -10 F), but I believe the temperatures were not that cold that winter, more in the zone 7 (10 to 0 F) range. The plants did not reappear the following year. I'm sure it was because I planted the bulbs in an area where they did not get a chance to dry out over the summer. My suggestion is to keep the bulbs in the refrigerator, plant them as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring, and keep your fingers crossed. You may have to lift them after they've died down in early summer and replant them in the fall. Mulch them with 8 (or more) inches of leaves when the ground begins to freeze and remove the mulch in early spring (as tulips and daffodils begin to emerge). Eugene Zielinski Prescott Valley, AZ USA > [Original Message] > From: Gastil Gastil-Buhl <gastil.buhl@gmail.com> > To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > Date: 3/13/2014 2:40:12 PM > Subject: [pbs] How to grow Dichelostemma ida-maia in a cold climate > > > Michael Tongate wrote: > >> The students at the local school had a bulb sale. My wife bought some Dichelostemma (Firecracker). I have read that this is a west coast native. I live in central New York. How well will it do in my climate? Should I even try? Do I have to do any thing special? It is an interesting plant. I have never seen it before. I would appreciate any information that you might have about it. Thank you for your help. > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/