Discovered a new gem

Does anyone grow Streptopus rosea or S. amplexicaulis (Twisted Stalk or Rose Mandarin)?

I stumbled upon them in a wildlfowers book, and was immediately taken with them - they remind me of Solomon's Seal, except the flowers are yellow or rose-to-magenta.

Here are some pics of rosea in bloom:
http://ghs.gresham.k12.or.us/science/ps/nature/gorge/3petal/lily/streptopusros.jpg

http://www.weaversites.com/ashevillenatural/photos/rosetwist1a.jpg

And Weezingreen's picture of the berries of S. amplexicaulis: http://davesgarden.com/tl/Weezingreens/showimage/2875.html

If you grow them, any hints or tips on what they like for soil and shade?

Twisted stalk grows wild around here. I don't see it often but once in a while in a moist, woodsy area. The trouble with some of these wild flowers is you really have to be in the woods... in the right place and at the right time to pick up on them.

I'm getting a craving for fresh berries after looking at that picture of the watermelon berries! I was so fortunate as to have a hiker in Alaska offer me one to try. Very yummy! The watermelon berries were growing alongside the road by a temperate rainforest. Assume the soil was probably acidic, it was partial shade, and moist, rich organic soil. This is just a guess.

Weez, AK sure looks green and fertile for January!!!!

Terry, I have seen it growing in wild areas here in OH, always in places that were formerly ag and have later been restored to nature. Since our native soil is very alkaline, I would suspect they need acid soil. They also seem to only have had fruit on the plants that were in shade during the day, although I am not positive about that.

I grow amplexicaulis; grow it in a moist (gets leaf damage if it dries out), rich, heavy soil and you'll be amazed at how fast it grows. (Have seeds if you'd like some.)

Oooh, thank you so much but I already "mooched" some from Weezingreens (grin)

Any hints/tips on starting them? I figured this late in the season, I'd go ahead and sow them in pots (will they require stratification?) and keep them in a cool protected spot this summer, then (if the plants are decent-sized, plant them this fall; if they're still small, I can overwinter them in the GH and set them out next year.