Hi Mark/All Mark asked a bit about growing from seed and what grows here in Texas. Well growing from seed is certainly a good way to learn patience. It can be anywhere from one year to 10 years or longer before blooms depending on the species. The really major part of seed growing is source of seed. Either commercial or wild collected. With purchased seed you have to find a reputable dealer that won't try and sell you seed that is past it's freshness. It takes a knowledgeable person to study each species to know just how long seed can be stored (also how to store) and still get acceptable germination rates. The people on this list can tell you some very good sources of seed. If seed are wild collected then they should be collected in a responsible manner in order not to adversely impact the population of plants you are collecting seed from. Once you have the seed in hand then it comes to germination. There are many different types of seed and just about as many different methods of germination. Reputable seed dealers will normally be happy to give you information about germination. But please when looking for germination instructions do your homework first. Just knowing where the plant grows will give you a good idea about how to germinate it. There is a good link to a good source of information on germination. http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/Germination.htm I am not making an endorsement of jlhudson seed but this info is good stuff. Then once your seed are germinated then all you have to do is watch them grow and wait for blooms. The things I grow are varied. I have a small native flower patch. I have an Amherstia nobilis in a large trash can. It's new leaves are a marvel to me. Just about everyone that sees it wants to go and pick off the brown leaves hanging down. lol (if you don't know what I am talking about you have some googling to do) I have a small collection of native Hypoxis sp. Some of which I have talked with Alberto about. One in particular seems really shy when it flowers. lol I have what I believe to be native Erythrina herbacea, Alophia drummondii, Herbertia lahue, a Cooperia sp. and three different Liatris sp. Just last week I saw a Xyris species (interesting species of plants) on my property and while looking closely at it I found another Hypoxis sp. though I am unsure if it is a different form than what I already have. I will have to wait until it blooms to see. I also grow a bunch of South African glads, moraea and a bunch of odds and ends that I could not resist getting from Silverhills. My Cypella plumbea have been blooming this past week though lovely they are short lived. With some nice big seed heads, they seem to like full Texas sun as long as they have plenty of water. I also have several Scilla natalensis though they are 3 years old I still have a wait before blooming. I have recently gotten involved in growing South African amaryllids. Brunsvigia mostly but some Haemanthus and others. I am still having to double check my spellings on these scientific names. It helps when I pronounce them they way they are spelled rather than how they are suppose to sound. lol Most winter growing bulbs seem to do ok here in Texas. Being dormant during the really hot time. I do try and keep them from freezing, though I would think most would be ok here at my local. I also have Nivenia corymbosa, N. stokoei and Witsenia maura though I only give them full morning sun or filtered sun all day. I am a few years away from any blooms. Goodluck to your seed growing if you choose that route though going striaght to blooming size bulbs is good, though their cost is usually way more than seed. Justin Woodville, TX 8b/9a Was said: > Tell me about where your interests lie, what seeds you grow and generally how and what grows in your climate in Texas. I would really be interested in hearing about starting things from seed - I have no idea how long it might take to get a flowering plant of any given plant. > > Mark _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™ SkyDrive™: Get 25 GB of free online storage. http://windowslive.com/online/skydrive/…