The ‘Starlight Express’ Lily is a popular ornamental plant, known for its unique visual appeal and delightful fragrance. This garden favorite features striking color combinations and a distinct star-like flower shape. Proper care is essential to enjoy its beauty in your landscape.
Meet the Starlight Express Lily
The ‘Starlight Express’ lily (Lilium ‘Starlight Express’) is an Oriental Lily hybrid. Its large, bowl-shaped flowers display fuchsia petals with ruffled white edges and often have contrasting speckles. These blooms emit a sweet fragrance. The plant typically reaches 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall and blooms for several weeks from mid to late summer, often producing up to 15 flowers per stalk.
Planting and Cultivation
Plant ‘Starlight Express’ lily bulbs in fall, allowing them to develop roots before winter, or in early spring after the last frost. Choose a site with full sun to partial shade, ideally receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Well-draining, humus-rich soil with a slightly acidic pH (6.0-7.0) is highly beneficial for these lilies.
Before planting, amend the soil with organic matter like compost or aged manure to improve its texture and fertility. Plant bulbs pointed end up, covering them with soil two to three times their height (typically 6-7 inches deep). Space bulbs 12-18 inches apart to ensure proper airflow and room for mature growth. Good drainage is essential to prevent bulb rot.
Ongoing Care for Thriving Blooms
Consistent moisture is important for ‘Starlight Express’ lilies, especially during dry periods and blooming. Water thoroughly after planting, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. Once established, allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings to prevent root issues. Fertilize regularly during the growing season; apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring to support healthy growth and blooming.
Taller stems may need support to prevent flopping when laden with blooms. Deadhead spent blooms to redirect the plant’s energy towards bulb development. Remove the entire stem that held the spent bloom, ensuring not to remove any leaves. This practice maintains the plant’s appearance and encourages robust growth for the following season.
Troubleshooting and Protection
‘Starlight Express’ lilies can encounter pests and diseases. Common pests include lily beetles and aphids, which damage foliage and stems. Signs of infestation include visible insects, sticky residue, or damaged leaves. Manually remove lily beetles; wash off aphids with water or treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Good air circulation helps prevent fungal diseases like botrytis blight (brown spots, grey mold) and basal rot.
For winter care in colder climates, mulch around the plant base in fall to protect bulbs from freezing. It is generally not necessary to lift these lily bulbs for winter storage, as they are hardy in USDA Zones 3-8. Remove dead foliage in late fall after it yellows to prevent overwintering fungal spores.
Propagating Starlight Express Lily
Gardeners can multiply ‘Starlight Express’ lilies through bulb division or scaling. Bulb division involves separating offsets or smaller bulbs that form around the main, mature bulb, typically every three to four years. These offsets can be replanted to grow new plants.
Scaling involves removing individual fleshy scales from a healthy lily bulb. These scales, which store food for the plant, can generate new bulblets. Place scales in a moist medium like vermiculite in a sealed bag, keeping them in a warm, dark place for several weeks until tiny bulblets form. These bulblets can then be grown in pots until large enough for transplanting, though it can take a few years to reach flowering size.