Uli asked, "The pictures of Dodecatheon wet my appetite (Thank you very much, Robert) and I found out that they would be perfectly happy in my climate and on my lime free soil. Somehow the shooting stars never crossed my mind as garden plants. I checked with Jelitto and they offer some species which are summer dormant. If I would order now and sow in autumn, is that advisable? Is the seed long lived enough to still germinate in autumn? Or better take the chance and hope that fresh seed will be on offer later? I have no experience at all with this genus and do appreciate your advice and experience. " ----------------------------- Dodecatheon (Primulaceae, and I seem to recall seeing an attempt to sink it in Primula?) is found mainly in western North America, with one species, D. meadia, in the east. D. meadia is the most likely to be offered as seed. I haven't succeeded in growing it in the Pacific Northwest, which I attribute to our mild winter and dry summer. I do grow a couple of our native species, which go dormant in late summer. D. pulchellum is the most persistent. The seed is very small, like most primulas, and germination is erratic. Time from sowing to flowering is typically 3 years. The exchange of the North American Rock Garden Society usually offers a good selection, and western species' seeds are usually available from Alplains. Low-elevation Western species usually grow and flower in moist meadow habitats that dry out later in summer. Some species are high-alpines from snowmelt meadows that never dry out entirely; good shows can be seen alongside little streams. I think it would be best to get seed from Alplains, because it will be fresher. Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>