Kathleen mentioned Maianthemum racemosum about to flower. Those who haven't kept up with the busy botanists may not recognize this as what was known for a long time as Smilacina racemosa. The western American subspecies (amplexicaulis) is rather different from the eastern American one (the type of the species), and I think this is why it isn't as well known as a garden subject. The western forms are larger and the inflorescence both larger and more condensed; an eastern gardener to whom I sent a sample some years ago was pleasantly surprised at the difference. The flowers give off a strong fragrance of lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis, muguet des bois) and continue to do so when cut. I think it's the very best garden plant native to our Pacific Northwest area. After flowering it produces bright red fruits, and the foliage is attractive long into the summer. I found an especially robust form growing in a neighbor's Christmas-tree field and kept it for the garden. Low-elevation forms are larger than those seen higher in the mountains. There is another ex-Smilacina here, Maianthemum stellatum, a small, pretty plant but perhaps too much of a spreader for some gardeners; I grow it in a shrubbery. M. racemosum also increases by rhizomes but they remain in a compact clump. Incidentally, the Prosartes Kathleen also mentioned (2 species native around here) was long known as Disporum. Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA On 6/10/2018 7:45 AM, Kathleen Sayce wrote: > ... A wild-collected, seed grown Maianthemum racemosum is about to flower for the first time. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…