Alstroemeria 'Salmon' (Salmon Peruvian Lily) - Semi-deciduous to wholly deciduous fleshy-stemmed, herbaceous perennial that spreads by fleshy, fibrous roots. In summer terminal clusters of small, lily-like salmon flowers top slender, upright stems growing in bushy clumps to 2 to 4 feet tall. This is extremely popular tall cultivar used in the cut flower industry and may require staking when used in containers. Plants have a crown of slender rhizomes that attach to succulent storage roots below. Each year new unbranched shoots arise from the crown to produce narrow leaves along the stem and an umbel of flowers at the tip.
Plant in full sun to light shade and water regularly to occasionally in late spring and early summer. Tolerates fairly dry conditions in coastal gardens but vigor and flowering are best when plants are irrigated. Hardy to 15-20 degrees F but tolerates lower temperatures if mulched. When trimming or cutting Alstroemeria for flowers it is best to pull the stems straight up and out, so they break off below ground at the crown to stimulate the formation of new shoots but do so carefully so as not to pull out pieces of the rhizome itself.
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 first received this nice tall cultivar from Bernard Acquistapace of Pianta Bella Nursery in 1992 and have grown it ever since.
The information about Alstroemeria 'Salmon' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include 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 we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |