LAWNDALE, CA / AGILITYPR.NEWS / December 21, 2020 /  

Grow Your Own Alstroemeria

We all like alstroemerias (aka Peruvian lilies). Alstroemeria are a florists’ favorite because they are lovely and last forever in a vase. So here’s an idea: why not grow your own? They’re easy to grow and they look good in the garden…

1.They’re idiot proof…anyone can grow them. Alstroemerias like soil that’s not boggy and not bone dry. They’ll thrive in full sun through to part shade, and if you throw a little fertilizer at them in spring they will give you more growth and flowers. Pick your spot, plant them, water them and enjoy the show when the flowers start in spring and keep on coming through to late autumn.

2. The plant breeders have been busy…which is great because there are now many different height options and flower colors to pick from. That said the current standout is the award winning Alstroemeria Rock & Roll. It’s a nice shaped plant - compact, bushy and clump forming. The foliage is two toned, opening yellow and green then turning white as the leaves mature. The flowers are dark red and together with the foliage, make fantastic cut flower arrangements.

3. Deciding where to grow them…this is the fun bit. If you live above street level and have a balcony garden, plant them in a large container where you can enjoy them for months on end. Even if you have a large garden, containers set beside the front door will be show stoppers when you add Rock & Roll® to a mix planting. Or if you’re after a long-term show of across the warmer months, planting them in a mass is a masterstroke move. Not only will your landscaping look phenomenal but you’ll be able to share the love with gifts of bouquets of flowers.

Photo Caption 1: This particular alstroemeria has fabulously vivid flower color, and as a bonus, the leaves are a variegated vision. It’s called Rock & Roll®.

Photo Caption 2: There are many different flower colors available thanks to the work of alstroemeria plant breeders.

Photo Caption 3: Up close, a look at the two-toned foliage of Alstroemeria Rock & Roll. Even when not in bloom, with their interesting creamy white and green foliage, these warm-weather plants make a nice substitute for hostas.

Photo Caption 4: Here is Rock & Roll growing in an Australian trial garden: this photograph was taken in June which is winter in the southern hemisphere so it’s remarkable that the plants were in full foliage and with a respectable number of flowers too.

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Please feel free to use this Story Starter as is, or edit as needed to suite your audience or climate. Free hi-res downloadable images to accompany this piece can be found on our Tesselaar Flickr site in the Rock & Roll Alstroemeria album

To receive additional hi-res images for this piece, or for additional Story Starters from Tesselaar Plants, please contact Judie Brower. For more information on Tesselaar Plants, visit www.tesselaar.com.