Karen,

I've had these in pots in zone 6 for 10 years....they mulitply very rapidly and I started with 2 and now have several hundred so watch out!!! The bulb will get as big as your fist when mature so yours is likely a baby. They are also not completely reliable bloomers every year in my zone anyway.....they bloom early in the summer just after the leaves emerge for me, but I can have 20 monster bulbs and 40-50 offsets in a giant tub and only get a half-dozen or so flower spikes. This goes for the standard white x festalis and the yellow 'Sulpher Queen' form. Here are a couple of mine:
{{gwi:4856}}
{{gwi:4857}}
They are worth waiting for as they are beautiful and smell heavenly :o) Dan

I have the white x festalis and the sulpher queen; the white has never bloomed for me in the three years I've had them but the yellow has bloomed reliably for all three. Mine are in containers on my patio. The bulbs definately multiply so will keep trying with the white.

I also have the white. Some bloomed this year. What is the best way to keep them over the winter. I have heard so many ways, I want to hear from people that really grow them.

they areare among our favorites. We have a half dozen or so bloom every year in our zone 3 garden. We dig up and store the bulbs indoors. Your non-blooming isn't due to a short season as ours bloom in July.

Beautiful pics there Dan.

Well if they can make a bloom in zone 3 for alpiner then mine are just too small. The bulbs are now larger than a golf ball. Or maybe it just wasn't their year, if they don't bloom every year. Sadly I stuck the shovel right thru one :-0
So that leaves me with just one to store and try for next year.

Karen

Question I also had the same experience. Nice foliage but no blooms. In my case I think it was due to late planting. My cultivar is called 'Advance'. I wonder what is the best way to save for next year? Should I let the frost get the foliage and then move the pot and bulbs to unheated basement or remove the bulbs from the pot and store?

I toss them pot and all in the basement before the first frost....the next spring they are typically starting to push a leaf before they get back outside. These bulbs can get as big as my fist so golf ball size is still quite small. Even the one you cut in half you should save. As long as both parts have some bulb plate they will likely both grow and be fine....you have just increased your numbers!! I have not heard of 'Advance', but there are likely huge numbers of these I have not heard of :o) Dan