In a message dated 11-Jul-04 6:06:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, jimmckenney@starpower.net writes: > Maybe that's why it makes the typical lily enthusiast's skin crawl. Jim ~ Not necessarily. The "tiger lily" has long been known to harbor a number of lily viruses making of it, thus, a "Typhoid Mary" when grown anywhere near more sensitive lilies, e.g., the Orientals. It is of more than passing interest that this (triploid?) lily has been grown for hundreds of years (L. lancifolium or L. tigrinum) in spite of its virus and has been remarkably tolerant of it. Would that breeders could isolate those genes and get them into the other lilies that would really benefit from a little stiffening of the spine, as it were! There have been a number of hybrids made with this lily over the years. I've grown a few of them and, while relatively vigorous, eventually didn't shed any tears when the gophers got to them . . . Dave Karnstedt Silverton, OR, USA Cool, wet Winters; warm, dry Summers email: davekarn@AOL.com