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Alstroemeria 'Little Eleanor' (Dwarf Peruvian Lily) - A dwarf selection of Alstroemeria that grows to 10" tall from rhizomes spreading slowly outward. It has bright yellow flowers with brown-purple spots from late spring through fall. Plant in full (coastal) to part sun.
It can tolerate dry conditions but looks best with regular irrigation. Hardy to 15-20 degrees F.
Alstroemeria 'Little Eleanor' is the result of the controlled breeding program of Frank Goemans in Chichester, Sussex, England in 1991. Curiously the identity and origins of the female parent were listed as unknown but the male parent was listed as a selection out of a population of plants of Alstroemeria aurantiaca, a wild species also known as A. aurea. Usually it is the reverse as the seed would have been collected from the female parent. The new cultivar was apparently recognized immediately by its dwarf habit, and it received US Plant Patent PP9,624 in 1996, which has since expired.
The genus Alstroemeria (at times spelled Alstremeria) was named by Carl Linnaeus, often called the Father of Taxonomy, for his friend and student Klaus von Alstroemer (Clas Alströmer), a Swedish baron. Alstroemeria come from two areas within South America with summer growing species restricted to eastern Brazil and winter-growing plants from central Chile with common names such as Peruvian Lily, Parrot Lily, or Lily of the Incas. We grew this nice small Alstroemeria from 2000 until 2004.
This information about Alstroemeria 'Little Eleanor' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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