Attract Hummingbirds In No Time With One Fast-Growing Flower With Star-Shaped Blooms

Many lily varieties produce such heavy blooms that the flowers look downward, their stems unable to handle the weight. But in the late 1970s, a flower breeder named Leslie Woodriff created a stunning variety crossing various lilies until the star-shaped blooms looked upwards, catching the eye of every passerby with their speckled pink and red petals framed in white.

Woodriff's creation of this noteworthy flower helped to popularize a fast-growing garden perennial that attracts all sorts of pollinators, including insects and hummingbirds. His lily hybrid isn't just easy to grow — it's one that will produce strong stems and mid-summer blooms that will adorn your garden year after year.

Today, this flower is one of the most popular lily varieties, with an impressive 36 million bulbs sold each year. So what is this unique flowering plant called? It's the 'Stargazer' lily (Lilium orientalis 'Stargazer') and it's going to be the show-stopping flower of your backyard garden.

Hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 9, the 'Stargazer' lily gets its name from its eye-catching flowers which look toward the heavens instead of downward or outward. Like all perennials, they fade in winter and return in spring. In particular, the 'Stargazer' blooms in mid-summer and loves full sun. These days you can find pink, white and golden varieties, all dazzling lilies that will bring color to your garden.

These flowers die back in the winter but return in the spring. With proper conditions, they can grow up to 6 feet in height, although on average they range between 3 and 4 feet tall. If you're looking to add these flowers to your beds, plan to plant the bulbs either in the early spring or in the fall.

Bulbs are known to thrive in all well-draining soil, even those with clay, so long as the bulbs are buried about 6 inches deep. For best results, plant a few bulbs in a cluster together. These flowers prefer full sun, but a little shade won't hurt them. Be sure to keep their soil moist but not soaking wet.

Unlike other lilies, 'Stargazers' have strong stems that don't require support. Once the blooms have fallen at the end of the season, cut them down to the ground so they can get a fresh start in the spring.

Those star-shaped blooms don't just catch our eyes, they're also extremely appealing to hummingbirds and butterflies. 'Stargazer' lilies are extremely aromatic, and birds and bugs alike will find them in the garden when it's time to feed. Hummingbirds, especially, have bills perfectly designed to feed deep in the flowers, zipping from bloom to bloom in the late summer. In fact, including these favorite flowers is one of the best ways to get more hummingbirds to nest in your yard.

Hummingbirds rely primarily on their keen vision to spot plants and flowers rich in nectar. And because their hovering and flitting about burns so many calories, they're constantly looking for blooms to feed on. Until recently, scientists didn't think these birds could smell, but it turns out they're also using olfactory senses to choose food sources.

Unfortunately, rabbits also love 'Stargazer' lilies, and it's not uncommon to find them munching on fresh shoots. Some of the best ways to keep your lilies safe from hungry rabbits are to plant strong-smelling herbs such as garlic nearby, or use garden fencing around the plants.

A final note: if you have cats beware. 'Stargazer' lilies, like all lily varieties, are extremely toxic to cats. So while these lilies also do well as indoor potted plants, it's not advised if you have feline friends.