Hi Mary Sue: The growth is described as "rhizomatous", but my plants would form densely clustered masses around the main plant stem, all covered in scales. They could be separated by cutting into chunks. They could not be pulled apart, and I would not have described this as "rhizomatous", but I don't know how to describe this kind of growth. After a couple of years there would be a very large very lumpy mass. My plants did not show any sign of virus the first two or three years, so they could have acquired it in my care or could have been virused to start out with. The plants CNPS here (Humboldt County) are selling now are virused. There is no such thing as L. pardalinum ssp. giganteum (although CNPS still calls it that), and the USDA and Fish & Game both say it is L. pitkinense. My plants were destroyed. Even though I live in a great area for lilies ( L. columbianum, L. kelloggii, L. rubescens, L. washingtonianum, L. maritimum, L. occidentale, L. wigginsii, L. bolanderi, L. pardalinum all grow fairly locally) I have veered away from growing them because of the risk of virus infection. Maybe at some future date I will reconsider. Diana