Common Name: Lily of the Incas, parrot lily or Peruvian lily
Kingdom: Plantae
Superdivision: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Alstroemeriaceae
Genus: Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria, a
flower found in a range of colors in over 50 species, is commonly known as Lily
of Incas, Peruvian Lily or Parrot Lily. The flower got its name after its
discoverer, Baron Claus von Alstromer, who was a Swedish Baron. He collected
the seeds of this flower on a visit to Spain. It is now generally found in
central and Southern parts of America. As the name suggests it is similar to
lily in its looks but has a slight difference. This is considerably smaller in
size than lily and their leaves are resupinate. Besides these differences,
Alstroemeria flower belongs to the tseparateeee families. These flowers are
found in a wide range of colors, pink, red, orange, white, yellow, apricot,
lavender or purple and many other colors. They have three sepals, three striped
or spotted petals and six distinct stamens.
The flower is
considered to resemble “Friendship” and “Devotion”. The twists and turns in the
leaves and the petals of the flower are considered to depict the challenges and
ups and downs faced in the friendship. Apart from this, it also depicts
prosperity, good fortune and wealth. Many a times it is given as a token of
good luck to people starting new ventures or a new journey in life or a special
occasion.
These flowers
grow on strong, branched stems, which are two to three feet tall. The shape is
mostly like a trumpet resembling Lily, only the size is a bit smaller, the
diameter being one to two inches.
How to grow: The best time to grow Alstroemeria flower is between May and August when
the flowers get sufficient sunlight. But in case the weather is too hot, plant
your flowers in shade as the sunlight tends to burn them. Its always better to
plant them in shade. These flowers need good living, so they should be planted
well below the soil surface, to provide them with sufficient organic matter.
The organic matter can be provided in the form of manure or compost. If the
roots are not well below the soil surface, then the plants might not last
longer. The plant can be grown using the stem or seeds of the flower. An
alstroemeria plant can grow up to 48 inches tall. - Take a pot at least 5 litres in capacity.
- Enrich the soil with manure or compost to ensure the plant gets sufficient nutrition.
- Drain the soil well and place the pots in a shaded area which is not very cold but not very warm at the same time.
- Plant the seeds not very deep inside the soil. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings appear.
- Plant the seedlings below the soil at a proper level so that the roots are well under the soil.
- Water the pots at regular intervals when the soil seems to be drying.
- You can keep the pots outside in the spring season, when the flowers blossom.
Propagation: As discussed above, the plants can be grown using the stem or also from
the seeds during early to midsummer season.
Uses: These flowers are mostly used in flower beds, pots, or borders. They
also can be used as cut flowers as their vase life is around more than a week.
Apart from this, they are also a very good option when it comes to bouquets
presented at several occasions or birthdays.
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