Thanks to David for his excellent review of Eucomis. These are among the few South African bulbs that do well in my garden here in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. I have had E. bicolor for many years and more recently planted out E. autumnalis, which has not flowered yet, and E. pole-evansii, which started flowering last year. I was quite impressed with the lovely white flowers of E. pole-evansii, on a tall stalk but not the 1.2 meters that David mentions. It flowered in September here, probably later than it would in a more hospitable climate. Both E. bicolor and E. pole-evansii have survived winter temperatures of 5 degrees F without snow cover here, while dormant under a deep mulch of bark. They are growing in ordinary loam and are watered regularly in summer. I tried a tiny plant of the beautiful burgundy-leaved variety 'Sparkling Burgundy' that is available commercially now, but it died while still in the pot; it was grown from a leaf cutting and I think it may not have been well rooted. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon