Lauw de Jager asked, The latestwintergrowing species flowering at this time of the year here are >the Californiana genera of Calochortus, Triteleia, Bloomeria, Brodeaia >(with the Alliums flava, thunbergii, carinatum). ... >Is there something specific in the Californian climate which has evolved >this late flowering caracteristic? It seems to me that most of the western bulbs that flower late either are alpine (e.g., the low-growing Allium and Calochortus species) or have very tall scapes (e.g., almost all species of the genera Lauw mentions). The latter emerge through tall grasses or shrubs which may offer them some protection from browsing animals, but they also need to get their flowers up and available to pollinators. The grasses would perhaps not be high enough until late in the season. Most of these plants ripen their seed quite quickly, too, but it lies dormant in the soil until the fall rains. Interestingly, some of these plants flower and ripen seed not only after the leaves have withered, but even after the stem becomes detached from the corm or bulb. Apparently there's enough moisture in the tall stem to support these functions. Yesterday I was enjoying watching a pair of rufous hummingbirds darting around in the bulb frame (which is wide open this time of year) feeding off Dichelostemma ida-maia and some other members of the brodiaea alliance. They also visited other Dichelostemma species, but I haven't ever noticed hybrids here. In the garden, they particularly like Kniphofia and honeysuckle; they're very adaptable in terms of foreign cuisine. Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA