It's really silly to argue with the success of someone growing a palnt a world away from it's natural habitat. Here in Dallas, aethiopicas do extremely well as a winter houseplants with an eastern exposure. A SW exposure will surely scortch, if not BBQ them behind glass on a sunny winter afternoon. In your situation, I would not try to force them into dormancy "because they're supposed to" unless they stop growing or refuse to flower. Keiko

Thanks for the responses!! Update: I spotted a few that finally decided to break ground. I had to look really close to find them but they are there..phew! I was worried for a bit there :)!

Thanks, Mone. I saw a species henryi on the south side of the house yesterday. That's like a zone 6 microclimate. I planted some bulbs very carefully yesterday, inching my way down through the soil. For all I know they may be "cheek by jowl" with an existing bulb, but at least they are in. I potted up the sprouted lilies I bought a few weeks ago and had them in a sunny window in the basement. When I checked yesterday the asiatics had shot up over a foot tall! I put the pot outside, but still am not sure what to do with them. They would be harder to plant this way, so maybe potting them was a mistake. But they had too-long sprouts and I didnÂt know what else to do. The orientals I potted are still short, no more than 1-2 inches.

Hi Aliska, Lilies grow in Alaska & Canada so cold weather alone won't do them in. The bigger problem with cold weather is in the Fall. Late blooming lilies like the orientals (such as Stargazer) don't have much time after blooming to feed their bulbs before cold weather sets in. That's why Asiatics & Longiflorums are safer bets for the very cold zones. As for your Stargazers, they're safer than your lilies that are already up because they are still underground where they are insulated from weather swings. I'm 2 zones warmer than you and my Stargazers still are not up (which I'm thankful for). Hopefully my LO's will be OK 'cause we're also getting hit with this cold snap. Yes, it would be great to have a big conservatory - but in my case that would take up most of my yard! :) While Stargazers prefer acid soil, as a modern hybrid they are pretty tolerant of less than perfect conditions. You mostly have to be careful that they get reasonable drainage. (lilies can't take being soggy.) If you like, mulch them with peat moss, shredded pine bark, and/or pine needles and that should make them happy. -Helen