Snow Lotus, is a perennial herb 15-25cm tall; rhizomes thick, blackish brown; leaves densely crowded, oblong or ovate-oblong, uppermost bracts 13-17, membranous and hyaline yellowish; heads 10-20, crowded at the ends of stems, combined into globose clusters, flowers purple. Distributed in
Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, Altai Mountains and the Pamirs in Xinjiang, growing on high mountains below the snowline at altitudes of 2,400-4,000m; also found in the former Soviet Union and Mongolia.

And

http://www.itmonline.org/jintu/snowlotus.htm

So I would suggest a damp/cold period like they have been covered with snow, to get them to germinate.

It says that they are/were grown here:
http://www.ruoergai.com/doce/jianjie.htm
This site has climate/rainfall information.

Interested in trading any? as I want one!
Do you grow other Chinese medicinals?

Cheers,
Amunda