I have had several attempts at growing these guys ... Each time I had the same problem as you are having.. I eventually dug down to find moldy piles of mush..

maybe dig down .. gently and see what u got down there

Chris

Mine are about 4 feet tall now and Im expecting blooms in a couple of weeks. They grow like weeds here.

Well, that doesn't sound good for mine. One reply saying they rot easily and another saying that they should be well on their way by now.

I guess Breck's will be getting a call soon(after I make sure that they aren't just under the surface).

Thank-you for your help, it's unfortunate that it had to be bad news. I appreciate it though.
Brock

I'm in a zone 6 microclimate of the Chicago area, and I have a couple--they're up and leafed out. Of the four I've planted, I've lost one. I do have good drainage, which is probably something they want.

Mine are also about 4ft tall and should have blooms in 3-4 weeks. Like Jim_6b, they grow like weeds here in Oregon, too. Particularly where you don't want them, like near an eating area. The smell of carrion and flies are not what you want when you are having a picnic! They do appreciate good drainage and dry summer/dormant conditions. Some experts recommend planting them somewhat on their side, so that the crown does not rot. What kind of soil do you have? Sounds like your zone is a bit marginal. If you do have some survive, you might want to put them in a sunny, protected spot where they would not get water when they are dormant.

Good luck!

Hi
I ordered Dracs from Brecks last year and planted them in the fall. I live near Buffalo, NY and so I mulched them w/ leaves after planting as per directions. After Christmas, I recycled used Christmas trees as mulch. The Dracs emerged in late March/early April and are up about 1.5 feet.I would also feed them 10-15-10 while they are growing. They like alot of water in order to grow,and I bought some huge tubers at a local plant show and put them in a large pot and they are peeking up. I have found if you buy a tuber/corm of something new, planting in a pot( spring )you can "help" it along then once it is up, very carefully plant it in the desired location so the roots are not damaged or it may go dormant. I do this with Arisaemas, Pinellias, Dracs, and other tuberous Aroids. ;-) KA

The leaves have died on mine and one is blooming. I'm WAAAYYY south of you though. Good luck. Brecks doesn't have the best ratings. Tally HO!

I got 4 Drac's now and they are going Great! these are about 3.5 ft tall now. All I can say is they love shade, morning sun, and WATER! 3 of the Drac's are alomst ready to bloom, and MAN-OH!! MAN!! they smell bad. I got them in the backyard far away from the house. These were in dirt that I got from a neighbor. Lucky me!!

I've just acquired two Dragon lily bulbs via eBay, and have planted them too soon. What should I do to insure that they will bloom? I think that since they grow further north, and my plant guide says they are well established in zone 9, I shouldn't have much trouble to get them to bloom (and from what I've heard, it may take a couple of years) But now I am worried that since I planted them, and watered them, will they rot? The soil is rocky, so it should be well-drained, but still....am I worrying too much?

I got 6 of them last year from VanDyke's. I just had two of the most awesome flowers. I took pictures but don't know how to post them.

Do D. Vulgaris tubers need to be chilled before planting in Z10? If so for how long?? plmk

i was wondering how long do the blooms typically last? i have 4 that have flowered, but they only last about 2 days. is this normal? they are in full sun and seem happy otherwise.

Just bought a splendid 12" tall plant in a pot from Packwood House (National Trust property) for only ã5.50. Not sure where to plant it with regard to sun or shade. Winter drainage can be quite poor so I think I may keep it in pot. How big (or old) do they have to be before they flower?

My experience is 4-5 years from seed to flower. 12"tall might flower this year. In Denver I give them a little shade but in the UK they probably want full sun.