Hi Gastil I am surprised at your comment on Flickr that the flowers last only a day. Must be the Californian heat. Here in the UK the flower spray I emailed on last 5 November are only just finished with no days without passable flowers in between. That is 6 flowers over about a month with some showing more or less at their best for several days each. I still have 2 sprays in bud to come, but near freezing overnight temperatures will slow them down a bit. They are under unheated glass at present. I will move them into frost free (min 7C) if this weather continues for much longer. Brian Whyer, Buckinghamshire, England, zone ~8 ish Closeup of one Freesia laxa flower showing the dark purple blotches http://flickr.com/photos/gastils_garden/…