> I know that many people recommend starting new, unfamiliar, or > unusual species from seeds rather than from mature bulbs ... >> > However, there seem to be the odd few where I have been spectacularly > unsuccessful trying to start them from seeds while simultaneously > and sometimes surprisingly having had no problems growing them > starting with an already mature bulb. I must say that in the spectacularly unsuccessful category of seed germination I would put the tuberous rooted Tropaeolum species. I have had seed from Watson & Flores that germinated fairly well, but even though I get good seed production from my plants, I get almost no germination. Last year I tried nicking the seeds, as well as stratifying in the refrigerator, but got the same results. Does anyone have better luck? Diana Telos Rare Bulbs P.S. As Lee says, the plants grow well - for pictures see the Bomarea page on the web site: http://www.telosrarebulbs.com/