Vegetative diaspores of Lobaria pulmonaria were transplanted to previously uncolonized trees. The early development of the corticated but otherwise non-stratified isidioid soredia was studied mainly by low-temperature scanning electron microscopy. Anchoring hyphae developed from cortical hyphae after 2–4 months and later apical or lateral pseudomeristematic growth zones were formed. After 15 months the growth zones further differentiated into 0·5-mm-broad lobes and revealed a stratified thallus typical for this foliose epiphytic lichen species. The experiment showed that the small population size of L. pulmonaria was limited by the low reproductive potential of the species and that it might fail to compensate for a relatively high disturbance, natural or anthropogenic, in the stand.