Plant Library

Other Names:  Peruvian Lily

Description:

This vigorous variety presents stunning blooms that open yellow, then age to dark orange with black markings; thick clumps of crisp green foliage adds interest; blooms year-round in frost free areas

Ornamental Features

The Third Harmonic Alstroemeria features showy bracted yellow trumpet-shaped flowers with orange overtones, burgundy throats and black spots at the ends of the stems from late spring to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive pointy leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

The Third Harmonic Alstroemeria is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

The Third Harmonic Alstroemeria is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

The Third Harmonic Alstroemeria will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity extending to 4 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 30 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

The Third Harmonic Alstroemeria is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.