Alstroemeria, also called Peruvian lily, let us introduce you to this ornamental flower.

Aliases: Peruvian lily

Family and genus: Alstroemeriaceae, Alstroemeria

Morphological features:

Alstroemeria roots are thick and fleshy, forming tuberous stems, clustered and prostrate. Stems erect, unbranched. Leaves numerous, alternate, lanceolate, arranged in a spiral. Umbellate inflorescence, flowers small and numerous, trumpet-shaped, orange-yellow, inner tepals with reddish-brown striped spots.

Origin:

Alstroemeria is native to Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina in South America and Mexico in Central America.

Biological characteristics:

Prefers a warm, humid and sunny environment. In summer it needs cool conditions, fears heat, tolerates partial shade, and is not cold-hardy.

The optimum growing temperature for Alstroemeria is 15-25°C, and the optimum temperature for flower bud differentiation is 20-22°C. If kept at 20°C for a long time, flower buds will continuously form and it can bloom year-round. If the temperature exceeds 25°C, vegetative growth becomes vigorous and flower bud differentiation does not occur. Cold-hardy varieties can withstand low temperatures of -10°C in winter and can also bloom at 9°C or lower.

During the growing period, Alstroemeria needs sufficient water, but high temperature and high humidity are unfavorable for stem and leaf growth and easily cause leaf scorch and bent heads. After flowering, the aboveground part withers and enters dormancy, so watering should be stopped and the soil kept dry. After the tubers sprout again, resume watering, but the humidity in the pot should not be too high.

Alstroemeria is a long-day plant. During the growing period, 60%-70% sunlight is optimal; avoid direct scorching sun and provide appropriate shading. If short daylight hours in autumn affect flowering, supplemental lighting measures can be used, with 13-14 hours of light per day, which can increase the flowering rate.

The soil should be loose, fertile and well-drained sandy loam, with a pH of around 6.5. For potting soil, use a mix of leaf mold or peat soil, growing medium and coarse sand.

Uses:

Alstroemeria has rich flower colors and unusual flower shapes, and when in full bloom it appears even more elegant and magnificent. It is a novel cut flower material. In recent years, it has also begun to be used for potted ornamental display.

Prefers a warm, humid and sunny environment. In summer it needs cool conditions, fears heat, tolerates partial shade, and is not cold-hardy.

Common varieties:

Golden Alstroemeria (Aurea), flowers golden yellow;

Pure Yellow Alstroemeria (Lutea), flowers yellow; Dover Orange, flowers deep orange.

New potted Alstroemeria varieties:

Inca Collection, plant height 15-40 cm, flowers pale orange, with reddish-brown striped spots, cold-hardy, flowering from June to October.

Little Elanor, flowers yellow.

Davos, flowers butterfly-shaped, white, with a light pink blush.

Luna, flowers yellow, with purple-green patches and maroon striped spots.

Toluca, flowers rose red with white patches, with maroon striped spots.

Yellow Dream, flowers yellow, with reddish-brown striped spots.

Ornamental species in the same genus:

Chilean Alstroemeria (A. chilensis), flowers pale red.

Deep Red Alstroemeria (A. haemantha), flowers deep red.

Pink Alstroemeria (A. ligru), flowers pale red or pink.

Purple-spotted Alstroemeria (A. pelegrina), flowers yellow, with purple or purplish-red spots.

Beautiful Alstroemeria (A. pulchella), flowers deep red.

Many-colored Alstroemeria (A. versicolor), flowers yellow.

Development situation:

Alstroemeria is native to the Andean region of South America and was introduced to the UK in 1754. It was not until the 1950s, after it began to be used for cut flower ornamental display in Europe and America, that it started to develop rapidly.

At present, the Netherlands leads all countries in the breeding of new Alstroemeria varieties, propagation and production.

Among them, Konst Alstroemeria Company is the most famous, introducing new varieties almost every year, and it is also the first organization to breed potted Alstroemeria. In addition, Pothos Plant Company, Koninklijke van Zanten Company and Van Staaveren Company are all well-known Dutch enterprises producing Alstroemeria. At the same time, PanAmerican Seed Company in the United States and the Lifetech Experimental Center in New Zealand are also world-famous for Alstroemeria breeding and propagation. At present, the Netherlands' annual @#@136@#@ for Alstroemeria is 43.5 million US dollars, ranking ninth in the annual sales of Dutch cut flowers.

Japan's annual sales of Alstroemeria reach 43 million US dollars, with an annual output of 9.7 million stems, ranking fourteenth in Japan's cut flower output value. In the UK and Colombia, industrialized production of Alstroemeria has also begun. After 1995, potted Alstroemeria developed rapidly and has become a new hotspot in the international flower market.

Alstroemeria is still in the introduction stage in our country, and it is not yet common in the cut flower market, with only a few enterprises conducting small-scale trial cultivation. Potted Alstroemeria is only used as an exhibit at @#@120@#@, and the varieties used are still cut flower varieties. For this reason, potted Alstroemeria is still a blank in our country and has good development prospects.