JoeJoe wrote: "I'm having a hard time getting information about taking care of L. > occidentale. I haven't obtained bulbs of this species yet (still looking), > but I received a seed package from Chiltern nursery and information of > growing hypogeal liliums. However, what are the natural conditions of this > beautiful lily?" > From Edward McRae, /"Lilium" /in /Bulbs of North America: /"It occurs in the coastal zone from northern California to Southern Oregon, growing in the drier parts of sphagnum bogs. It may be submerged during the wetter months but dried out to some extent in mid to late summer. The water in these bogs is moving, not stagnant. Cultivation can be attempted in lime-free loam enriched with leafmold and peat. ... They demand their own natural environment.... This species is threatened in the wild by the encroachment of trees, which shade it excessively." In short, unless you are successfully growing its pals /Cypripedium californicum /and /Darlingtonia californica, /you probably don't have a good spot for it in the garden. The fresh, slowly moving, lime-free water is probably a prerequisite. This beautiful lily can be seen in dedicated preserves near the Oregon coast. Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, (formerly) USA