Don’t write off Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) as just an average flower, all too common in super-market bouquets. These no-fuss bloomers are available to the home gardener in a rainbow of colors. We hunted down a handful of varieties for the Sunset Test Garden and have been adding to bouquets—which last for weeks!—every summer since.
To keep plants blooming from June to October, steal this tip from our Garden Editor, Kathy Brenzel. Harvest flowers by gently twisting the flower stem so that it releases from the base of the plant. Using this technique instead of snipping half-way up the stem promotes the plant to produce new blossoms.
Alstroemeria thrive planted in areas with full sun and in soil that drains well. In areas with winter freezes, mulch well to protect underground tubers and the flowers will come back year after year. Our source for plants by mail: Edelweiss Perennials.