R. asiaticus seed definitely doesn't have to be fresh to give good germination. I've had successful germination (about 75%) from seed that was at least two years old, and stored at room temperature. My problem was that the plants seemed to stop growing after they produced a few true leaves. This may have been because they germinated in the spring, and their growth was stopped by warm weather. Seed appears to germinate best with warm days and cold nights, but I'm not 100% sure of that. I don't know of any commercial source for seed or tubers of the true species. It is occasionally offered on the North American Rock Garden Society seed exchange, but not this year. Incidentally, Polunin and Huxley, in Flowers of the Mediterranean, describe the flowers as "often scarlet, but may be white, yellow, or orange." The book has a great picture of the scarlet version on the cover. Eugene Zielinski Augusta, GA USA > Subject: [pbs] Ranunculus asiaticus > To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > > Ranunculus asiaticus has various attractive color forms in the wild, but > I've never seen it offered for sale. Rix's "Bulbs" describes it as "tender, > killed at -10 [C]," which would not strike us on the Pacific Coast as > "tender." Does anyone know where I can get some fresh seed or rhizomes of > this plant? > > Jane McGary > Northwestern Oregon, USA