Stargazer Lilies – Symbolizing Purity, Chastity and Virtue in Greek Mythology

The stargazer lily is a showy garden lily with big, star-shaped pink and white flowers that face up toward the sky. It is an Oriental hybrid lily, famous for its strong, sweet scent, and it is one of the most popular lilies sold by florists around the world.

Quick Facts

Name	Stargazer lily
Type	Oriental hybrid lily
Habitat	Full sun, well-drained soil
Flowering season	Mid to late summer
Height	3 to 4 feet, up to 6 feet
Special feature	Flowers face upward; very fragrant

Where the Stargazer Came From

The stargazer is not a wild plant. It was bred in California in the 1970s by a lily grower named Leslie Woodriff. Most Oriental lilies have flowers that nod or face sideways, but Woodriff’s new lily held its blooms pointing upward. That is why he named it ‘Stargazer’.

Its full garden name is Lilium ‘Stargazer’. Lilium is the genus that contains all true lilies, and the word in quotation marks is the name of this particular cultivated variety.

Lilies in Greek Mythology

Lilies have stood for purity, innocence and goodness for thousands of years. In one ancient Greek legend, the goddess Hera, queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, was feeding the baby hero Heracles. Some of her milk spilled across the sky and became the Milky Way, and the drops that fell to Earth grew into white lilies.

Because of stories like this, lilies became a symbol of purity and virtue in Greek and later European art. Today people give stargazers for all kinds of occasions, from birthdays and weddings to sympathy bouquets.

What Stargazer Lilies Look Like

Each flower has six pointed petals (botanists call them tepals) that curve back slightly at the tips. The petals are deep pink to crimson in the center, edged with white, and sprinkled with darker freckles. Long stamens tipped with rusty orange pollen stick out from the middle. A single flower can be 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) across.

The plants grow from bulbs and usually reach about 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm) tall. Their stems are sturdy, with narrow, glossy green leaves. A tall plant loaded with blooms can lean over, so a thin stake can help keep it upright.

In the garden, stargazers usually flower in mid to late summer, often in July and August, depending on the weather where you live.

Growing Stargazer Lilies

Choosing a Spot

Stargazers do best where they get at least six hours of sun a day. Gardeners like to say lilies want their “heads in the sun and feet in the shade”, so low plants or a layer of mulch around the base helps keep the roots cool.

The most important thing is drainage. Lily bulbs rot if they sit in wet, soggy soil. Loose soil rich in compost or leaf mold, slightly acidic to neutral, is ideal.

Photo by: Derek Ramsey

Planting the Bulbs

Bulbs are planted in autumn or early spring. Loosen the soil to about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) deep and mix in compost or well-rotted manure, especially in heavy clay or very sandy soil.

• Dig a hole so the top of the bulb sits about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) below the surface. A good rule is to plant a bulb about three times as deep as it is tall.
• Set the bulb in with the flat, rooted side down and the pointed tip up.
• Space bulbs about 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) apart.
• Fill the hole, press the soil gently and water well.

Watering

Lilies like soil that stays evenly moist but never waterlogged. Push a finger into the soil: if it feels dry an inch or two down, it is time to water. If it still feels damp, wait. Watering at the base of the plant, rather than over the leaves, helps prevent disease.

Care After Flowering

When each flower fades, snip it off so the plant does not waste energy making seeds. Leave the stem and leaves standing, though. The green leaves make food that is stored in the bulb for next year’s flowers. In autumn, once the stem turns yellow or brown, cut it down to a few inches above the ground.

Over the years the bulbs multiply and form clumps. Every three or four years, gardeners often dig up crowded clumps in autumn, gently separate the bulbs and replant them with more space.

Stargazers as Cut Flowers

Photo by: Bill Murray

Florists love stargazers because they are big, colorful and fragrant, and they last a long time in a vase, often a week or more. They are best cut when the buds are just starting to open, so you can watch each one unfold indoors.

Many people pull off the orange anthers (the pollen-covered tips) as each flower opens. The pollen easily stains clothes, tablecloths and skin. If it gets on fabric, brush it off gently with tape rather than rubbing it in.

A Warning for Cat Owners

All true lilies, including stargazers, are very poisonous to cats. Even a small nibble of a leaf, a lick of pollen from their fur or a drink of the vase water can cause serious kidney damage. If you have a cat, it is safest to keep lilies out of the house and garden altogether, and to call a vet right away if you think your cat has touched one.

Stargazer lily FAQs