Greetings Mary and bulbophiles, My main reason for posting is just to share my gratitude for this group and all who take time to contribute. I really think this is a fantastic organisation, the PBS Wiki is phenomenal. Although I have been growing bulbs for a while I still don't feel like I have that much more advice to add than what has already been placed in previous discussions. I am a new member of the group (joined in Januaray) but came upon the discussion archives about three years ago and and I can confess that I have read just about 80% of all of them discussions. Now I mainly just pay attention to posts pertaining to Amarylidaceae, and other geophytes that can be grown in Mediterranean and tropical gardens. I just participated in my first BX last month and I was very pleased with what I received. I am so grateful to this service of sharing. I look forward to when I can contribute. I am not sure if this has been attempted before but I am trying various winter and summer rainfall Amaryllids from seed, namely Brunsvigia, Boophone, Gethyllis, Ammocharis, Nerine, Crossyne, and Haemanthus here in the tropical climate of Honolulu on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Elevation 121m/400 ft. Average annual rainfall 58cm/23in. Winter low 18C/65F, Summer high 33C/92F. - hot, dry, and windy. I am also trying out Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus, Calostemma and Rhodophialia bagnoldii and Merwilla plumbea. I also am very grateful to have gotten some Crinum luteolum seed from the BX and I have high hopes that they will perform well for me in my climate. I see this as a 10-15 year experiment to see if I can not only successfully grow these South African bulbs in this climate, but also get them to bloom! If I am fortunate to develop a strategy at getting these to bloom in my climate I will be sure to keep the board updated. If they don't do so well, I intend to try some up in the high elevations of Maui island where Protea are so successfully grown. Last spring I sowed seed of Haemanthus humulis ssp. humilis Ammocharis coranica, Brunsvigia gregaria, Nerine laticoma, N. huttoniae, and Brunsvigia grandiflora. The seeds of all except the B. grandiflora got held up in customs for almost two months! I had ordered a relatively large quantity of seed of each species which I suppose was providential because thankfully there were a few seeds of each species viable by the time I received them. Because these got off to a bad start I'm not sure how fairly I should judge their progress. A year on the Haemanthus are doing very well. The Nerine are like blades of grass but they seem fine. The Brunsvigia grandiflora that weren't delayed and arrived viable are super happy! I have high hopes for them. I can report that my Eucomis vandermerwei in the past two years has done almost nothing in this climate. It has pushed leaves twice but they were much smaller and weaker than the ones it grew in Los Angeles before I moved it here. I wonder if any other Eucomis would perform at all in the tropics? They must need more diurnal differentials and lower winter temps. No worries, I'm sending it home to my friend who tends my other bulbs in Santa Barbara, CA and I trust it will be happy again. Then of course as I have mentioned on the board before, I am growing tropical Amaryllids such as Stenomesson, Phaedranassa, Eustephia, Eucrosia, Rauhia, Zephyranthes, Griffinia, Worsleya (these 1 yr old seedlings are a constant source of worry, but I know some will make it to adulthood) as well as Polianthes and Bessera. A very kind friend gave me some seed of Hippeastrum calyptratum and they have grown with so much vigour!! I sowed three seeds to a pot. I used 3.5" terra cotta pots with holes drilled in the sides for root aeration (similiar to what is done for orchids). The media was crushed black scoria, dolomite, horticultural charcoal and a tiny bit of peat. I have never been more excited and pleased as watching seedlings grow. I love how the new leaves have a reddish tinge too! I am growing them under 30% shade cover in a greenhouse that has humidity range from 60-80%. I have only been growing in this climate for two years now, so in the future I will have much more information to contribute to the group. Most of my bulbs need more time to get happy roots before they put on any big shows.... at least that's my theory. I am always on the lookout for non hybridised species (an non virused!) of Eucharis, Griffinia and other S. American amaryllids. There are so many exciting little treasures that should be brought into cultivation. I'd like to grow Proiphys as well. By the way, has anyone ever seen Pseudogaltonia clavata, Eucrosia dodsonii, Stenomesson auranticum, Bessera tenuiflora or Urceolina pendula for sale? Well that's plenty for today, I have HEAPS of gardening to do today Aloha, Jacob Knecht Honolulu, Hawai`i. P.S. I keep a botanical photo gallery (and borderline gardenblog) of my garden and botanic gardens at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/morabeza79/ here is a picture of Rauhia multiflora at Koko Crater Botanic Garden I took. http://www.flickr.com/photos/morabeza79/409845452/ The leaves were shiny because of the spray of the irrigation. They also have some clumps of Eucrosia bicolor there in the 'Americas' section. see my botanical photography at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/morabeza79/ ____________________________________________________________________________________Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. http://autos.yahoo.com/carfinder/