Hi, members >To throw my two cents in...VIRUSED plants MUST BE Tossed I couldn't agree with Kevin Preuss more about needing to be aware of, control or reduce the diseases in plants. While it is at least theoretically possible to eliminate virus by tissue culturing, it is expensive and not something an amatuer would normally attempt. Even testing for the presence of virus is almost beyond the reach of an amateur gardener. One alternative is to grow from seed. The dilemma that presents itself for a beginner with Crinum like me, is that Crinum seed is not very readily available, does not store well, and of course is slow to flower and may not be very valuable when it does flower. I like growing plants from seed, and I have enough things going on that waiting isn't a problem, but just getting seed to try is a problem. Buying plants to bear seed may introduce the very virus or other disease you are trying to avoid, and at least with crinum, there isn't much assurance you will get seed from any crosses you make. For someone trying to get started, in an area outside the normal range of cultivation, it can get a little frustrating-but then that is what gardening is about, isn't it? If we wanted easy, we'd all grow petunias or the like. Ken Z 7 Western Oregon