The top several inches of my Stargazer lilies are a much lighter green. They have always been gorgeous and this has never happened before.
What is the cause and what is the cure?
Thanks for your input!!!
Stargazer Tops Lighter Green
Hi 8, welcome! How tall are they now?
They are mostly around 2 feet and one is 3 feet tall.
The foliage looks OK but just brighter green? I'd guess this a flush of new growth and will darken up.
81302, did you get a lot of precipitation during the spring? Some of my stargazers look the same as your description. I always had great success with the oriental lilies, but this year I lost several orientals due to excess moisture and cold temperatures. They rotted!
Moby-Yes the foliage looks o.k. but lighter green. Am definitely hoping you are right that will just darken.
figaro52-We had the opposite as far as almost no precipitation. We did have the excessive cold though Been watering just to keep everything going. So sorry to hear that you lost some of your orientals. We lost a couple to that. We are one zone colder and so orientals are always a bit more challenging up here.
Spring was very stressful on a lot of plants up here this year because of that cold and suspect from weather reports that true for much of central U.S. as that cold was in huge area.
Concerned on the Stargazers because have some in two raised beds only about 30 feet apart, all established plantings, same side of house except the effected ones get more sun otherwise same amended soil, same care etc. Will hope for the best and deal with it whatever way goes.
Thanks Moby and figaro52 for your input!!!
81302 -- My Stargazers have typically bloomed in mid July, and if that's the same for you, there should be plenty of time for the buds to develop. We'll keep our fingers crossed! Asiatics and Tigers are doing great for me.
figaro52-Thanks for the good wishes! There are buds on our Stargazers including the ones with the lighter tops so is promising. They bloom up here about same time as by you and this year many things are week to two weeks ahead due to the above normal temperatures we have been having.
As horticulturist Melinda Myers likes to say"gardening in the Midwest can be a bit challenging" so I am forever hopeful but realistic. Our weather is consistently "inconsistent." :-)
Glad your Asiatics and Tiger Lilies are doing great! On overall I have had excellent luck with those too.
Right now our Lollipop Lilies are in full bloom with multiple blossoms and the best ever.
Great thing about having a multitude of flowers is that something always seems to do spectacular no matter what the weather conditions. Keeps us avid gardeners enthused while dealing with the frustrations:-)
Happy Gardening!
81302 -- Thanks for your comments.
You are so right. The good thing about growing a multitude of flowers is that with each plant that does poorly there will be another that exceeds our expectations. It has certainly been a crazy growing season so far -- but so many plants are doing so well -- and they more than make up for the losses.
I like Melinda Myers' comment about gardening in the Midwest. Each season is indeed a new adventure!
Glad to hear that your Lollipop Lilies are doing so well. They must be beautiful!
Happy Gardening to you as well!