Regarding Calochortus seed, I've found that even if it is stored for more than 5 years, it remains viable if kept dry. It does not need to be refrigerated or frozen. Several years ago Ron Ratko gave me some very old seed from this genus, and it all did well. Some species germinate quickly from fall sowing, and others are delayed. I think those from alpine and inland regions (e.g., C. kennedyi) are the slow ones. As someone else noted, Calochortus seedlings are very prone to damp off, and should be grown in conditions as cold as possible without being frozen, and should be sown thinly, since germination rates are typically high. I grow quite a lot of species in frames here and have lost few to winter cold, even the coastal species such as C. obispoensis and C. catalinae. They set seed readily, but populations I've raised from home-saved seed show some hybridization among the Mariposa types. Most take 4 to 5 years from sowing to flowering. I look forward to reorganizing my bulb collection in a more naturalistic setting in a couple of years (still under glass, but in beds, not pots) and situating the Calochortus species around xeric plants such as eriogonums and acantholimons, which will give them some support and help them look less gangly when in bloom. (Not all Calochortus are "xeric," of course -- some live where there is some summer moisture.) Jane McGary Northwestern Oregon, USA