Eugene Zielinski wrote: "I still don't know of any commercial sources for R. asiaticus seed." You're right, Eugene, I don't know of a source for seed. But if this topic had come up a year or two, I'm pretty sure I could have pointed you to one of the major mail-order seed catalogs: a strain of Ranunculus asiaticus called, I think, Bloomingdale, was offered for several years recently. As I recall, the seed was surprisingly expensive. Or am I confused - was Bloomingdale sold as roots? I did check a number of current catalogs and saw no offerings of Ranunculus asiaticus cultivars as seed. When I was a kid, even general seed catalogs such as Burpee's (as it was then) offered seed of Anemone coronaria -that I definitely remember. I'm not so sure that Ranunculus asiaticus seed was ever generally offered. Perhaps some of you may be interested in what David Griffiths had to say about the culture of Ranunculus asiaticus from seed. Keep in mind that Griffiths' goal was to establish this plant as a commercial crop in the United States. He thought southern California was the ideal place to do that. Here's what he said (Bulbs From Seed, USDA Circular No. 311, 1934, pages 25-26): "Their culture is very simple. Seed is planted in September in drills 12 to 15 inches apart or in beds about 3 feet wide, under open-field conditions, and in soil that is fertile but without raw manures. The seed is sown about three fourths of an inch deep, and the soil is thoroughly firmed over it as soon as it is planted. Germination takes place rather promptly and growth continues through the winter and the next summer, when the plants become dormant and the tubers are ready to be dug. "The greater part of these crops is ready for the market at the first digging, or 1 year after the seeding...Some growers have rotated ranunculus with anemone, which is no rotation at all, as these crops may be considered the same as far as effect on the soil is concerned." Jim McKenney Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where we're hunkered down for another cold one tonight.