"Lankongense" is Lilium lankongense, a Chinese species lily. This species has a tendancy to "run" undergroud via stolons before it comes up. Don't be surprised if it comes up at a different location!

A lot of species are also a little more finicky about where they're planted vs. the hybrids that are more adapted to garden conditions.

If you like the look of L. lankongense, but can't get it to grow. There are a lot of exceptional hybrids that are far easier to grow and much more vigorous. Seek out cultivars like 'Ariadne', 'Rosepoint Lace', and the North Hybrids ('Karen North', 'Angela North'). I think The Lily Garden also has a collection of assorted hybrids bred from L. lankongense. see link below

I'm surprised Wayside is selling this species in Spring. I've always been taught to plant species in the fall so they settle in well.

Cheers,

Riz

Here is a link that might be useful: The Lily Garden

Last Fall I planted L. Lankongense, (from the Species Lily Preservation Group Fall bulb sale). They have been the last of my lilies to come up. I was starting to wonder about them as well - since they are an earlier bloomer.

While I knew they were stoloniferous, I was surprised by how far they went before they "popped up". I thought that since they needed to establish their roots over the winter(and were somewhat small) that they wouldn't have the "bulb strength" to go very far the first season. I carefully marked each bulb with garden stakes when I planted them and they came up 8" from their bulbs. Even the little Lankongense "baby bulbs" I grew from seed last season wandered around quite a bit.

There's been a long spread in sprout time for them as well. My first to sprout is about 6" tall now and (what I believe to be) my last sprout just emerged a couple days ago. Though we are in the same zone, Spring planted bulbs usually come up later than Fall planted bulbs so yours might be a few weeks behind mine. Yours could be happily growing and wandering around underground right now.

Also, the Lankongense sprout is smaller than the sprouts of Oriental or Asiatic lilies and might be missed at first.

-Helen

Now, I just have to see if my Spring planted Martagon come up this year or decide to "pout" for a season! :)

who knew!
i'll be in the look-out for them. i gave then a very specific "place" - in my mind. will be interesting to see where they come up. thanks!

well, gardening is about patience. 2 of the 3 now appear to be poking out. one of the base of a nearby tulip and the other (as i feared) hard against the bricks that form the bed border. waiting for the third! it is probably under a brick some where :-)

Hi Again,
Glad to hear two of them are up. I read somewhere that they tend to head in the direction of loose soil, but I don't know how accurate that is.
But I'm hoping that keeps them in the garden and out of my yard - since un-amended soil here is SOLID clay, (being in Virginia you probably understand).

Instead of breaking free of the garden, three of mine look like they had a head-on underground collision and came up squashed together (even though their bulbs were planted WELL apart). Go figure!

If they wander too much for you (or me!), Gardener's Supply has an edging called "Root Block" (meant to prevent the spread of invasives by roots and underground runners). It would keep stoloniferous lilies contained as well. It's 26" deep and comes in 16' lengths. (It can be cut to reduce the depth.)

-Helen

Here is a link that might be useful: Root Block