Dark Pink Oriental Lily

Starfighter is an upright Oriental lily with fragrant, red-to-dark-pink flowers edged in white and freckled red. The slightly recurved petals make the blooms easy to see in a border, and the stems also suit cut-flower arrangements.\n\n## Garden Use\nUse Starfighter in a sunny or lightly shaded border, a container, or a cutting garden. The Royal Horticultural Society describes this named cultivar as a bulbous perennial with glossy, lance-shaped leaves and upright stems; it lists a mature height of 1–1.5 m and a spread of 0.1–0.5 m. Those ranges are useful for planning, while local conditions and bulb size affect the finished plant.\n\n## Growing Conditions\nGive the bulb moist but well-drained soil and a position in full sun or partial shade. The RHS recommends enriching the soil with leaf mould or well-rotted organic matter and keeping the base shaded where practical. North Carolina Extension notes that Oriental hybrids have large, fragrant flowers and advises against poorly drained soil. See the [RHS Starfighter profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/165707/lilium-starfighter-viia-b-c/details) and [NC State’s Oriental lily guide](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lilium-oriental-hybrids/common-name/oriental-lily/).\n\n## Maintenance\nKeep soil evenly moist during active growth without waterlogging the bulb. Deadhead after flowering, but retain the stem and leaves until they die back so the bulb can replenish. Watch for lily beetles, aphids, slugs, and fungal problems during wet weather; lilies are toxic to cats if eaten.