>I know the pitfalls talking about hardiness, but I still have to ask. Online F. pallidiflora is rated to zone 4, so I feel confident to try this one in Anchorage, AK (zone 4 or sometimes warmer these days). I am also curious about F. thunbergii, which I thought was referred to as Japanese in origin. Fritillaria pallidiflora is a weed here. It's growing in clay soil which was frozen solid the last week in October, and only thawed out a couple of weeks ago. I think I saw some shoots emerging a few days ago, but now it's snowing again. F. thunbergii does well here, too. Fritillaria raddeana and stenanthera are both hardy here, but the green parts can be killed by the record cold temperatures which have been a feature of springs here, this century. The bulbs come up "blind" the next year, or are killed outright. I think this is also true of F. gibbosa and F. karelinii, but I've been less observant than usual in the last couple of years. Fritillaria imperialis, F. eduardii, and sewerzowii seem to be more resistant to the asinine weather here; imperialis being the most sensitive of the three. A colony has existed here for thirty years; sometimes flowering, sometime not. Bob Nold Denver, Colorado, USA -5C right now; "spring". _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…