Thank you all of you for helping me to get to the bottom of this! Even if no consensus is reached, it is still fun to ponder what might be going on.
Rick, you have made me think think more about my growing conditions for these particular bulbs. Here are a few more details:
1. All bulbs came from Judith at The Lily Garden, so improper storage is unlikely. She has been growing lilies for probably more years than I have been on the planet!
2. All bulbs were small, many being quarter size or smaller. While planting, I *imagined* (but never verified) that these bulbs should be naturally small due to parentage. They could just be immature.
3. I planted all bulbs deeply after reading what Ed McRae had to say about them (stoloniferous habits that can be moderated with deep planting). Many of these bulbs have 7-9 inches of soil covering them, but...
4. The soil they are planted in is very loose and friable. It is quite sandy, and I am able to scoop it out easily by hand to plant other things in the same area.
5. They are in full sun.
6. These bulbs were planted in early-mid November, which might be somewhat late, but we had a very long and warm fall. The ground didn't even freeze until January.
7. Those that are forming tiny buds in the center have whorls of 3-4 buds total. Not sure if that can also be a sign of immaturity...
One thing I suspect might be wrong is that I do not live in the Pacific Northwest and many of these lilies will simply be much smaller in my area than they are for the professional lily growers. Suppose if they naturally reach a maximum of 2.5-3 feet in my area, and they top out at 1-1.5 feet their first season, maybe that is not really cause for concern? Still, I would not hesitate to snip off the buds on these plants if you all feel like they would benefit from it and settle in better.
I think Tracy might be the person on this forum who is closest to me who also grows many of these hybrids.
It is a bit amusing to me that my Asiatics--uncommon and exotic though they may be--are the ones causing me distress and concern. Don't most sources proclaim how "easy" they are?
The only Asiatic that seems to like me so far is Citronella, and that one is planted under harsh conditions among tree roots.
I shouldn't complain though. Many of my LOs and OTs are already reaching 3 feet with no buds in sight yet, and many of the trumpet strains like Pink Perfection and Golden Splendour are even nearing 4 feet!
