The lilies of the stargazer family are appealing, both visually and aromatically. You will stop if you ever chance upon these lovelies in a garden or a nursery. As you take in their beauty and fragrance, a feeling of awe will sweep you.
Stargazer lilies are ‘show flowers,’ extravagant in their shapes and colors; that’s why giving people stargazer lily bouquets tends to impress and bring an abundance of joy to the recipient.
They are anything but flowers for mourning, though you can present these at funerals. When family and friends want to celebrate the life of a loved one, this flower sends a message of “life” itself and evokes a happy feeling.
From Valentine’s Day to birthdays and weddings, stargazer lilies are gifted as showstoppers, and you cannot take your eyes off them.
Why Stargazers are Special
Apart from being stunners in the looks department, gardeners like to grow stargazer lilies because they grow tall. The flowers are easy to grow, and they are hardy plants. Due to their tall stems, they do well as cut flowers in stargazer lily bouquets.
These flowers are especially exotic, with an intoxicating scent. They are oriental hybrid flowers, blooming from summer to the end of the season. Large and colorful, their flower petals typically range from light pink to deep crimson.
Flowers resemble stars, but they get their name as they grow tall, as if reaching for the heavens. They appear as if looking upwards instead of many other lily subtypes that droop.
Thriving well in poor soil conditions, many people love to grow these in gardens. Growing up to 3 feet, they can form a nice barricade. Each stem grows between two and eight blooms. Flowers measure approximately 6 inches in diameter.
Bold and Beautiful
Dramatic yet elegant, stargazer lilies make the perfect gift for any occasion.
Their hybrid origins stem from Asiatic and Oriental lilies. Named by an ardent lily breeder, Leslie Woodruff, who was mesmerized by the way the lilies faced the sky, Woodruff grew them in huge quantities.
These flowers have been around only recently, compared with other blooms discovered around twenty years ago. Their popularity has grown by leaps and bounds.
Stargazers are flowers that don’t like to hide, so they often imply great determination, commitment, and wish fulfillment. Believed to symbolize innocence and purity, the meaning behind the flowers can change as all lilies do.
Depending on the color, stargazer lily bouquets stand for different things.
| Color | Symbolism |
| bright pink | signify abundance, wealth, and prosperity |
| yellow | symbolize peace and purity and platonic relationships, like friendship |
| deep crimson | stand for love |
| red | indicate passion and sensuality |
About the Lovely Stargazers
Stargazer lily plants have roots in Japanese wild lilies and other Asiatic varieties. They are a source of pleasure, called “starburst lilies” and “starlight lilies.”
The great part about these plants is that you can grow them in pots, containers, or flowerbeds, and they will bloom all summer. They grow from bulbs, and if planted and tended to in well-drained soil, sandy-in composition blooms come up fast. They also grow in soil composed of clay.
You can easily incorporate them in a casual bouquet of your own and blend them with other lilies or roses. Stargazer lily bouquets can be made from your flowers, making wonderful gifts, even last-minute ones!
Flower Varieties
Undoubtedly, one of the best parts of the plant is the flowers it yields. These are striking in the pink and crimson varieties, but all colors look and smell as sweet.
Blooming anytime from June until August, they can transform a garden all on their own without the help of other plant accents.
Most varieties of stargazer lilies are dark pink in the middle, but yellow flowers may be orange in the center. White stargazers look spectacular, with the middle a dark shaded pink.
The petals spring into bloom and are wide open. They curve back on themselves, giving the flowers a unique appearance. Flower centers have long stamens, and these add a spectacular touch. Stamens of all flowers are engulfed in rich yellow pollen. You get double-bloom flowers, and these look truly amazing with numerous bright pink petal rows.
Incredible Features
The features of stargazer lilies are more astounding than other flowers. Besides the center of the flower, with its great contrasting color accent, you will see dark speckles of crimson or brown. These collect at the center but are all over the flower, as if sprinkled on petals. They look like confetti showering the bloom.
Whatever the combination of flowers and colors you use in the stargazer lily bouquet of your choice, these dotted areas catch and hold attention.
Distinctively, stargazers have so many enchanting flower parts; it’s not surprising that they are the go-to bouquet blooms.
In Full Bloom
Stargazers are for you if you want to present your own flowers to someone in the summer months.
When the bulbs are planted in spring, you get gorgeous blooms by the end of June and the beginning of July. When bloom time ends, you can deadhead flowers by the midst of August, as these are perennials. These flowers will adorn your garden and bouquets year after year if developed in the right conditions.
Enchanting stargazers can be grown alongside other lilies, and your garden and bouquets will always be a perfume factory!
That Stunning Scent
When given to people, Stargazer lily bouquets have strong and fragrant aromas. The scent of these can fill a room, eliminating other strong odors.
The lily aroma will reign supreme if combined with roses and other flowers with a scent. Some flower varieties have such strong fragrances that experts describe them as sweet yet savory.
The overpowering scent can shock and stun. Some people complain of headaches and nausea from the smell. For most, though, it is an enthralling flower with an intoxicating scent.
Stargazer Bouquet Favorites
Stargazer lilies, like most oriental flowers, are resistant to disease, so they are good to have around your garden or gifted to people in a bouquet.
More fragrant than Asiatic lilies, they come in varieties that people love in arrangements and bouquets. Since these flowers are relatively big and long-stemmed, bouquets including them are of the large, hand-held type.
You can cut stems short and have them in small arrangements too, but if you’re gifting them, it will be difficult for the recipient to keep them in water.
You can grow one (or all) of three primary varieties in a pot, in a container, or in your garden. You can gift them in a bouquet if you aren’t a green thumb. These are what you should make your selection from:
White Stargazer Lilies
These are large spanking white blooms with strong fragrances. They usually have pink or red interiors; some have golden brown ones.
You can choose chrysanthemums or red roses for a bouquet as a nice complement. Combine with green fern, and you have an attractive gift.
White stargazers grow resplendently in full sunshine, although shorter than the common pink stargazers.
Pink Stargazer Lilies
Pink lilies of the stargazer type are the standard stargazers you will see at florists and in most bouquets. Deep pink, magenta, and red blooms are vibrant and look vivid in an arrangement with traditional white lilies.
If you want an elaborate look, add pink and white or red tulips and have a bouquet that turns heads.
Gold Stargazer Lilies
Gold blooms are a recent hybrid variety dotted with crimson spots and look ideal as a gift.
They bloom late, in July and August, so think of using them in a bouquet then.
Bouquet Combinations
Stargazer lilies can be combined with any other flower, and they will stand out. This flower takes center stage in a bouquet, even if it’s a single stem.
- Lighter pink stargazers can be combined with purple pansies and white roses.
- Blend darker pink lilies with yellow tulips or chrysanthemums for a bright look.
- Consider red, pink, or white carnations with golden stargazers.
Since the aroma of stargazers is so strong, don’t combine it with a flower with a vigorous scent, except with mild roses. Choose your wrapping or vase to perfectly showcase your flowers, seeing that colors don’t clash. You can also gift these flowers in attractive baskets.
Some Facts About Stargazers
Most stargazers are a delight to have around. They are hard but can grow invasively as they are large and tall. If you are planting them in your garden, have them rooted at least a foot apart.
Though resistant to disease, some beetles may be attracted to their petals or foliage. To keep these away, you can use natural pesticides like neem oil. Lily beetles often bite into stargazer lily petals.
Flowers are not poisonous to humans and animals, except for cats. Cats that mistakenly consume any part of the plant will suffer from gastrointestinal distress and probably even liver failure.
Conclusion
Stargazer lilies not only look stunning but are also packed with meaning appropriate to particular occasions. It makes a suitable addition to a flower arrangement for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day. These flowers are also a great choice for funerals and other celebrations of life.
Head to your local florist and surprise your loved ones with one of the world’s most elegant blooms!
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