Question
Hi Tom

The stargazers I told you about last autumn, they have emerged this year and two are very healthy and growing well but one developed slowly and had twisted leaves. It then got attacked by aphids and I sprayed it with insecticide. The plant has now gone contorted with thickened and twisted leaves. The growing point has gone very hard with no new growth. The other two plants are doing well but have not got as many buds as they had in the last two or three years. I lifted the plants in spring as the shoots were starting to sprout then change the compost and replanted them with fresh compost but I also put two asiatics with them that I separated into two plants. They are doing well and close to flowering. The stargazers will be flowering in about September but I have no clue what to do with the ''diseased'' plant.

The seed head that I tried collecting seeds of did not work as the 'seeds' were more like husks and I planted them but they just diminished.

I hope you can help me.

By the way, the bulbils have come up and are now growing.


Jonathan

Answer
Hi Jonathan,
Thanx for your question.  Are you certain it was insecticide that you sprayed your plant?  The twisting sounds like the reaction of a plant to an herbicide.  Was the insecticide rated for outdoor plants?  I know these are simplistic questions but one can never be too sure.  Ok, I would just leave the twisted plant alone.  Hopefully, it will come out of whatever is bothering it.  If it does die, dig up the entire thing and discard it and don't plant anything else in that spot for a couple years.  As for the seeds?  I'm not sure which plant gave you seeds, the Stargazer?  The Stargazer lily is sterile and does not produce viable seeds so you will either see the "husks" or nothing at all.  I hope this helps.
Tom