Jim Waddick asked: >What can you say about C. banaticus cvs? Anything there of these color >forms? White forms of C. banaticus are not uncommonly grown by croconuts in the UK, usually under the name 'Albus' although there are probably several different origins. A superb selected white clone is 'Snowdrift', which has bigger flowers than usual and a particularly large, plumy style. It also seems to be vigorous and to multiply well. It is a clone and should be sought out. It is sometimes available from Mike Smith of Hythe Alpines, and is illustrated on his website http://www.hythe-alpines.co.uk/Bulbs.htm and there is also a pic at http://srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2005/… It is regarded as a good show plant, but should be fine in the open ground. I know of no named purple clones in circulation at the present time, but batches of seedlings will give flowers in variable shades some darker and more reddish than average. These are certainly worth multiplying and raising further progeny from, because a richly red-purple C. banaticus would be lovely. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP Tel. 01242 870567