Mary Sue > First off, I'm not willing to accept the spelling of the name in the RHS > Plant Finder. I'm inclined to go with a North American source for a North > American plant. I list my resource: > http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl/… > The Jepson Herbarium website is really a first rate resource for plants > from California. I will query this with the RHS next time I visit a show or Wisley; see what they say. > My plants never had roots as you describe. Perhaps I needed to keep the > seedlings growing longer, to fertilize them more, or maybe when they are > young they need summer water. How much do you water yours Brian when they > are dormant? Be sure and report Jim how yours in the cold frame under snow > do. It will be interesting to learn how hardy they are. We have not had any significant long frost since I have had mine to test it's hardiness in my frame, which is north facing, but built against my part frost free greenhouse. Being 4' high against the greenhouse there must be appreciable exchange of heat between the 2 although the frame covers are only corrugated plastic with no seal as such. They are watered more or less the same as the later growing trilliums, erythroniums and the other mixed woodlanders, occasionally in winter by hand, but in summer usually with a hose or nature does it for me. The frame covers are off from sometime in April. The only respite they might get is if they happen to be under a leafy trillium shelter, but that disappears in late summer. Now you have told me they are difficult I will take more care and they will probably sulk. All the snow has gone and much higher temperatures today (11C) but I can still only just detect a little scent. Brian Whyer, zone 8'ish, Buckinghamshire, England