I received various Colchicum seeds from the Alpine Garden Society 1999 exchange, and sowed them with a spoonful of soilless mix into small ziplock bags as soon as they arrived, in February 2000. They have been kept in an unheated greenhouse that never freezes, and never gets very hot. C pusillum germinated in September 2002 - 2 years 7 months C. 'Lilac Wonder' and C. corsicum germinated in February 2004 - 4 years Today, 1 seed of C. autumnale MESE 302 (from an AGS expedition to Greece in 1999) germinated - 8 years 1 month There are still 12 seeds not yet germinated. The final species, bornmuelleri, has not germinated yet. Its 7 seeds are still sound. When the autumnale finally blooms, it will probably look exactly like the ones sold in bulb bins every fall. Ah well. It will have a story to make it special. I Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada maritime zone 8, cool Mediterranean climate mild rainy winters, mild dry summers