Uli asked about the viability of Calochortus seed. I agree with John Wickham that it remains viable for very long periods. Some years ago Ron Ratko kindly gave me a number of Calochortus species' seeds which he had stored (I'm not sure under what conditions) for as much as 8 years. All of them germinated well. Even older Calochortus seed kept by Gene Mirro under refrigeration also germinated well for me. I find that it's best to sow Calochortus seed in early autumn and expose it to outdoor ambient temperatures under cover (I have a glass-roofed shed dedicated to seedling raising and potting). Uli in Portugal should have excellent success growing Calochortus. Note that the seedling bulbs are usually very small the first year, brown and difficult to see in a peat-based mix, so it's best to keep them in the seed pots for a second year. Also, the bulbs usually form deep in the pot and by the second year they may be right at the bottom. Just a note on Uli's question about growing lilies from seed: the seed pots of hypogeal germinators should be "refrigerated," not "frozen" -- that is, keep them between about 2 and 5 degrees C during their first winter, when the root has formed but no leaf has yet appeared. "Freeze" in English means 0 degrees C or lower. Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, USA, where the first freeze will probably be next week _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…