It takes up to nine years for a Lanzhou lily to grow from bulb to harvest. Grown at elevations above 2,000 meters in Lanzhou, Gansu province, it is widely regarded as China's only edible sweet lily, valued for its ability to relieve coughs and dryness. It is now exported to countries and regions including Japan, South Korea, the United States and Southeast Asia. Researchers are using laboratory techniques to improve quality and shorten its long growth cycle.