Dear Joe and all; Lycoris aurea is one of the most mis - id'ed of all Lycoris in the commercial trade. The true species is readily identified by its large size (biggest in the genus) and succulent foliage. It is also frost sensitive so depending on a given year's temperature range the foliage may be so damaged in cold years that it won't bloom. It is also unusual in that there are a variety of fairly common 'cytoraces'. These are essentially similar looking plants that vary in the chromosome number and thus fertility. The common 2N number is probably 12, but various cytoraces have 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 chromosomes each. There may be others, too. These can be distinguished with some difficulty and each varies in fertility with odd numbered races being considerably less fertile, than even numbered races. Generally, L. aurea produces fertile seed, but with these restrictions and complexity. L. traubii is often confused with this species, but L. traubii is readily distinguished by its much smaller size (leaves 1/3 the size of L. aurea); its limited distribution in Taiwan and southern Japan, and the fact that at bloom there is no trace of leaf bases at the base of the flower talk as there is in L. aurea. Since there are a number of yellow flowered Lycoris, these may all be ID'ed as L. aurea including L. traubii, L. chinensis, L. caldwellii and possibly others. People not familiar ith the range of Lycoris assume that all yellow flowered must be AUREA as th name suggests. Given all this, the true L. aurea is not that common in cultivation and suited to only to mild climate gardens. In the past most Lycoris identified as L. aurea have come from Japan where L. aurea is not native. Now the true L. aurea is being imported from from China where it is native (also "Indochina" and south). But as Tony says, it is a beauty. Best Jim W. -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +