Alstroemerias are also called lily of the Incas, Peruvian lily, Peruvian lily or alstroemere; they belong to the family called amaryllidaceous; they have a tall size, their petals are long and have colors grouped upwards, just like lilies, another plant of the same family, read on how to care for alstroemerias.
About 50 species of alstroemerias of different colors and sizes are known, which also helps to make different combinations in gardens.
It is a plant that can be poisonous and cause irritation, but despite this it is one of the most cultivated and then cut and used in beautiful flower arrangements.
This plant is rhizomatous, with delicate and thick roots and can measure up to 120 cm; blooms in late spring or summer, with purple, red, bright orange, salmon, pink, and white flowers; this flower is not scented.
The flowers will appear on the stems, specifically at their ends; these usually have six petals, 3 on the outside with a larger size and another three on the inside with black or brown markings. This is what is called zygomorphic which are flowers that are bilaterally symmetrical, possessing three sepals and 3 striped petals (not always); both the petals and the sepals of this flower are very similar in texture and color, that is, unlike other plants, we do not find solid green sepals; On the other hand, this flower has an indivisible pistil and 6 stamens.
It has elongated leaves with rather pulpy tips; this plant gives rise to various inflorescences of different colors, forming a funnel, and then blooming between June and September. The leaves that alstroemeria have are opposite, that is, the leaf arches when it leaves the stem so that in this way the bottom is facing upwards.
Alstroemeria is named after Klaus Elastomer, a botanist who was born in Sweden in 1736 and died in 1796; he was a student of one of the most important botanists in history: Linnaeus.
This plant has its origin in South America, more specifically in the Andes in the countries of Peru and Chile; due to this it receives some of its vulgar names.
Among the best known species we find: alstroemeria area, alstroemeria haemantha, alstroemeria light, alstroemeria psittacina, alstroemeria Patagonia, and alstroemeria caryophyllaea and alstroemeria pulchella.
Really in the world, alstroemeria is a market that we could say is a little new, but day by day it is gaining more interest, since it is a quite beautiful flower, whose cultivation is simple and does not require very special care. In addition to their beauty, they have a long life.
It is important to cultivate alstroemeria correctly in order to have a beautiful garden or to later be able to make beautiful flower arrangements.
This flower is suitable both to be planted in the ground or in pots.
Plantation
If seeds of this plant are going to be sown, it should be in the fall, making sure that the temperature does not exceed 20º centigrade during the day and that at night it is between 5º and 10º centigrade. In the regions located in the south it will be better to do it in spring.
It is good to leave the seeds in water overnight and if they are bulbs, leave them in water for 24 hours, this way they will germinate better.
In case they are going to be sown in pots (pots), it is good to do it with a little vermiculite and a little perlite, then make 0.6 centimeter holes and separate each hole by 2.5 cm and then each seed should be put in each hole and finally cover smooth with the mixture.
If a single alstroemeria plant is to be planted, it will have a pot (pot) with a diameter of 40 cm and care must be taken to protect it from frost.
If it is going to be planted in the ground, it is important to plant it in such a way that its roots are deep and well buried in order to look for flowering from the time it reaches its first year.
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The soil must be deep, fertile, permeable, loose, and slightly moist, with good drainage and good organic matter. It is also good that they have a semi-acid pH, which ranges between 5.8 and 6.8.
Temperature
They are plants that can withstand the cold, although this will depend a lot on where the plant is located and the type of soil; the climates that are most difficult to resist are those that are extreme, such as the Nordic cold and the heat of the tropics; that is why the best for this flower are temperate climates.
It is important to put a plant-type cover around the alstroemeria, this will be its protective layer in periods of strong heat or very cold, so that it does not suffer damage. The cover should not rub against the plant as the latter could rot; the ideal is to leave it five centimeters from the stem.
It is important to take into account the following: if the soil reaches a temperature that exceeds 22º centigrade, this plant will make an effort to produce larger tubercular roots and generate new ones, but this can cause them to begin to produce only stems and not flowers.
Lightning
This plant likes to be in a plant-type cover such as mulch to protect itself from the sun, or to be in the shade in the afternoon hours when it is very hot.
In other words, this plant will do well in sun or partial shade, but keep in mind that alstroemerias don’t like extremes, either very hot or very cold weather.
Irrigation
They should be frequent but in a moderate way, because if you pour too much water on them, their roots could rot.
If the plant is planted in a dry climate, it is important to keep the soil moist; we repeat without soaking it.
After sowing the seeds, it is important to water until the soil is moist and then be vigilant every day until you notice that the plant has come to the surface; always keeping the soil moist but not wet.
The fertilizer
You will only need organic fertilizer and in its flowering some fertilizer that is of mineral origin.
It will be very good if it is paid every 20 days at the time it is in its flowering period and its vegetative growth.
You can apply a fertilizer that is slow release and do it according to the instructions on the label; this will be done in spring or at some time of plant growth.
Plant transplant
If the alstroemerias were sown by means of seeds, they can be transplanted once they exceed or reach five centimeters in height; The soil must be loosened in the place where the planting will proceed, with a soil that has good drainage and with a depth of 30 centimeters, this will be done with a garden spade and mixed with the compost at the same time.
You have to dig holes that are large so that the roots can adapt there without any problem, also leaving 30 centimeters between plant and plant, then water until you see that the roots are moist.
Bloom
When old stems are removed, it will be easier for the rhizome to develop new ones and thus stimulate flowering.
It is common for its flowers to be cut to put them in a vase or vase and in this way they look like decoration; this flower lasts a long time in water.
Diseases and pests
This plant can be prone to some fungi such as cryptogrammic disease and can also be attacked by some insects.
In general, it is a plant that is not very prone to diseases, but in summer it can be attacked by red spiders or aphids, and the most common is that it gives them diseases caused by fungus due to the waterlogging of the substrate.
They may have certain problems with caterpillars, aphids, trips, mites, whiteflies, snails, slugs and nematodes; the most common of these pests are trips and at the same time it is the most difficult to exterminate, they turn out to be even more harmful when the plant is blooming.
When the soil is very wet we can find diseases that occur due to root rot, these can be Rhizoctonia and Pithier, to avoid this it is important to water the new divisions with a fungicide and to carry out good sanitary procedures, so that these diseases are not a concern.
Your multiplication
It occurs through the division of rhizomes, it should be during the fall, but if the person lives in a climate that is colder, it is better to do it in the spring time.
Although the most common is to do it through rhizomes, the simplest thing is to do it with the suckers, which sprout around; another way is by dividing the bush in the spring time, taking great care not to damage the roots; remember that they are very delicate.
Tips
Do not go to ingest alstroemeria, it is a toxic plant. Use gloves when you are going to handle the alstroemerias, to avoid skin irritation.
