One of my wholesale producers of perennials has listed flats of 32 lilies in plugs. Lilium Aurelian Hybrids.
Common Name: Lily
Description: Spectacular colors and color patterns in these fragrant hybrids between Lilium longiflorum (Trumpet Lily) and Lilium henryi. Colors include shades of pink, orange, lavender, yellow, pumpkin, and white. Stunning every summer in our Hillside Border garden.
Zone: 4

The plugs would be 2 1/4 X 3"

I have never seen this before. How do you think they are they producing these?

Aurelians are L. henryi x L. sargentiae, not longiflorum. Do they show photos? The volume seems rather small for aurelians, which make humongous bulbs. Maybe they are seedlings that are transfered to the plugs as small bulbs. Or cloned bulbs (tissue culture or scaling).

I just posted an image of lilies in plugs (how timely!) on the popping thread. But these are Asiatics, smaller bulbs but I expect them to bloom this summer. The plugs were round and 3 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches deep. The bulbs were rooted in that volume and all looked healthy. I think Lily Looks is a Mak company.

Isn't that funny how you posted those lilies at the same time!

This is the best I can do with the picture. Stinkers wouldn't let me copy the large pic.

OK, it is a trumpet (aurelian) lily with a more open form. Were you thinking of maybe getting some to sell? Or to landscape your own garden... Probably not named varieties.

I was thinking of getting these just because I've never seen lilies in a flat before. Not to sell.

Polly, why do you think they would do something like this? Lots of thoughts go thru my mind. Could it be that they (somebody) was pretty far along with a hybridization program and abruptly decided to discontinue it for some reason? Maybe it was replaced by another higher priority program? And these were put out there to recoup at least some of their expense. I don't think they were put out there to reap a profit, do you?

At any rate, its very interesting. I agree, I think you should go ahead and buy a flat if you have the room to row them out. Something else I saw recently that one doesn't see anymore--a regional B/B store like HD selling individual bags of 15 mixed Trumpets for $14.99 (imported from the Netherlands) I passed on that.

My best guess is that the reason is purposeful from the beginning: to give customers what they want. Whether it is a good thing or not is irrelevant. I get about 30 people asking me each year if they can buy strawberry seed because plants are too "expensive". Now I am getting more and more asking about buying lily seeds in commercial seed packets. Presently, I'd say it's up to ten people a year. The lily plugs, I believe, is attempt to satisfy the customer, and make money.

Either way, I see it as a good 'thing'. Maybe this means an increased interest in Division 6 type lilium; thats good!

I would agree with Rick.

Money talks, but I must agree with Rick,I have had more enquiries about seed, 'this year' than ever..[sent off my 1st seed package for this year, on Monday]-also, the local garden club has requested a few packs,.,. ,.,.,.My seedlings are copping a caning from the blackbirds..i laid some bird wire about, this afternoon