Dear All; We continue too hot and too dry. The only Lycoris in bloom are those that get some extra moisture. I assume more will pop up after a decent rainfall. Typical. A clump of good pure white L. longituba* amazed me when I took a stick to it- yardstick. The center of the inflorescence was an easy 36 inches tall and the tallest point another 5-6 inches higher. So far a few sprengeri and a few chinensis in bloom too. Lots of squamigera, b ut only in some places. One stalk on an odd sprengeri x chinensis hybrid looks sort of like the former but orange with a hint of pink. A larger clump of an old sprengeri x aurea clump is palest yellow with a size and form closer to sprengeri. So many of these are so easy and reliable in this awful climate and current weather pattern that it seems urgent to get these propagated and into wider culture. I know the demand is there, if only the supply were there too. Steaming and dreaming in Kansas City. Jim W. * I mention a "good pure white" because, although this is the 'color' of L. longituba, a number of 1st, 2nd and ...on generation hybrids with L. chinensis seem to exist that I see a range from pure white to those with yellow throats to pale yellow to medium yellow. Some have the form of L. longituba with nearly oval smooth petals and some approach L. chinensis with narrower ruffled spidery blooms in various colors. A mixed planting of these hybrids has just begun to bloom with around 6 or 7 variants. I am sure the rest are waiting for the rainfall to arrive. -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +