Topic: Alstromeria - Peruvian Lilly(?)

[Garden Manager]

I was given some of what i beleive are alstromerias, last year. They survived the winter but are only now just starting to grow. (Is this right?)

Could anyone tell me some more about them, as I need to know how to grow them, where to plant, care etc.

I have them growing in 3" pots at the moment.

Thanks

[Mrs Ava]

Herbacious perennials, native to S. America, alstroemerias have thick, rahter brittle tubers which speard to form colonies up to 1.2m across.  They are easily grown in fertile, well drained soil but do not like dry thin soil. The plants are hardy to -10.

They flower in mid summer through tot he autumn.

Mulch young plants in the autumn.

All that from my Readers Digest Encyclopedia of garden plants and flowers.

[Emm P]

Take a look HERE

[Gardenantics]

Be careful with these, as they are very invasive, and I have spent many hours clearing them out of a clients border where they had taken over. There is a strain called the princess variety that is supposed to be less thuggish, but if it was up to me I would keep them in containers!
Brian

[Val]

These can invade my borders they look lovely. Think I might seek some out.

[Garden Manager]

OK thanks - some usefull stuff there.

hardy to -10 c? Well we never get temperatures below about -8 c (lowest last winter was -6 c) so they should be fine, though they were left out in their pots all last winter, so perhaps this is why they have been slow into growth?

its strange  - the plants whose tubers are nearer to the surface of the pots were the first to start regrowing (as if they needed sun/warmth on the tubers to get going) the deeper ones didnt start until i had carefully scraped away some of the compost above the tubers.

Perhaps when thy are a bit more grown I'll take a photo and post it up, if that helps.

[Deeds]

Not all of them are invasive, especially the species and some of the newer hybrids. 

The really thugish one are mainly the Litgu hybrids.

I have about 7 different ones and they clump up nicely but never are a problem, they flower for months too, often into November here in Cornwall.

The 'Princess strain' come in some lovely colours too bu the way.