Mark McDonough wrote: > All this talk of Oporanthous bulbs, yet no mention of Allium ;-) I would suggest that this is because none fits the definition of oporanthy that we've been discussing, i.e. the commencement by flowering of a plant's annual cycle in late summer. There are, as Mark has pointed out and beautifully illustrated, dozens of late summer-flowering alliums, but I venture to suggest that none is starting its cycle now. Even A. callimischon, indisputably autumn-flowering, bears its flowers on an inflorescence produced in the previous growing season. Are there alliums that truly start their cycle about now? The earliest I'm aware of is A. chamaemoly, a tiny species that I've seen in southern Spain flowering at Christmas, but this is a late autumn/winter grower. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP COLESBOURNE PARK OPEN DAYS 2007 Easter Monday 9 April, Arboretum Weekend 15-16 September Gates open 1pm, last entry 4 pm website: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/