Dear All esp Jane, Jim Mc and Roger; I know I am hexing myself in saying ANYTHING on a topic I remain both ignorant of and totally confounded by.. American Frits. Actually Frits period. A couple of years ago I got a few bulbs of F. pudica from Jane and naively planted them outside where a couple European Frits have done well. So far it has persisted and bloomed here. I think this is because I have accidentally filled Roger's suggested environment: " a very hot, very dry area where all herbaceous vegetation is burnt to a crisp by the sun in summer. I have the impression that it prefers a fairly alkaline soil" My soil is mostly heavy clay except in summer when it bake to 'concrete' I claim no skill at all, but luck and coincidence. BULBS!! Jim W. -- 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 +