Spigelia marilandica is a herbaceous perennial and the foliage dies back in winter. It should be in bloom now, on into July.
If your vendor has to "dig" them up, they may be wild collecting them or may not want to ship blooming plants. No way to know. Most people that sell them, grow in pots from seed or division or else buy Tissue Cultured plants. .Here's a link to aubject plant at Floridata,
They can sometimes be a difficult plant to establish in a garden and need constant moisture, not soggy conditions, for best results.
Good luck!
Rb

Here is a link that might be useful: Spigelia marilandica

I bought mine from a great dealer, but, although the plants came back every year and looked healthy, they never bloomed. Now, finally, four years later, I have blooms!! I think it is because last summer for the first time it actually rained in June and July...but not in August. Of course, we are in drought conditions right now, so the blooms will not last. At least I know I did buy the plant I thought I had bought. Oh, I would never call them ephemerals Maybe he oversold HIS stock and is trying to locate some from someone else. Digging from the wild is also a possibility that we hate to think about.

I ordered one from Niche Gardens in early March 2005 and got it about six weeks later. They would have sent it immediately, but I requested a later delivery date because it wasn't warm enough in March. It bloomed that first year.

I just found a bargain at a nursery today. They had four-pk. of Spigelia for a buck apiece. I bought all they had left! They thought they were annuals. I am going to repot them and hold until I am sure our "drought" is over. Even if only a few come through, they really beat PD's prices...or even Niche. Of course, I went there to get some Trillium underwoodii, and that cost me a pretty penny...so I imagine the dealer made out just fine.