MANILA, Philippines — The fragrant and beautiful Stargazer Lily is a Lilium orientalis hybrid, developed and grown for the cut-flower trade. It is a bulb plant related to the common onion and garlic.
The name Stargazer was given to this hardy lily because unlike other lilies, their blooms gaze up to the sky. This hybrid also has stout sturdy stems that are 30 inches tall, with clusters of very fragrant blooms. The Stargazer Lily does not require staking and are wind resistant. A fragrant and versatile hybrid, it grows beautifully in perennial gardens and can be used as a container garden plant. It has showy, brilliant crimson colored flowers that are edged with pure white.
The plant thrives under full sunlight. To make the bulbs bloom artificially, they have to be conditioned. The bulbs are dug out and put in a plastic bag with some soil in the refrigerator for about two to three months. They are then replanted to bloom.
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