ALSTRCEMEEIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



ALSTRCEMERIA 



creamy yellow or white stripes 

 (Gard. Chron. 1903, xxxiii. 245). 



A vittata. A graceful species from 

 the South Sea 'Islands, with elliptic, 

 lance-shaped, tapering leaves 6 to 8 

 ins. long, having broad, oblique bands 

 of white on a dark green ground. 



A zingiberina. A Siamese plant, 

 4 to 6 ft. high, having smooth, oblong, 

 oblanceolate leaves 10 to 12 ins. long, 

 and ending abruptly in a sharp point. 

 The pale green flowers with a white, 

 pink-veined lip appear about July in 

 an almost erect panicle 10 to 12 ins. 

 long. (Sot. Mag. t. 6944.) 



Other species not so well known 

 are A. Allughas, 3 ft., red ; A. auri- 

 culata, 10 to 12 ft., reddish-yellow ; A. 

 calcarata, 3 to 5 ft., white ; A. cceridea, 

 6 ft., reddish-purple; and A. mal- 

 accensis, 6 to 8 ft., white. 



ALSTRCEMBRlA(in honourof Baron 

 Alstrcemer, a Swedish botanist). Nat. 

 Ord. Amaryllideae. A genus having 

 forty or fifty species, natives of tropical 

 and subtropical S. America, char- 

 acterised by having masses of thickish 

 or tuberous roots from which arise 

 leafy stems bearing clusters or umbels 

 of richly coloured and often spotted 

 flowers. The funnel-shaped perianth 

 is more or less irregular, with six 

 narrow segments in two circles. The 

 lower segment of the inner circle is 

 usually quite distinct from the others. 



The Peruvian Lilies as the Alstrce- 

 merias are popularly called are 

 practically hardy south of the Thames, 

 and in the more favoured parts of the 

 United Kingdom. It is well, how- 

 ever, to afford the roots protection in 

 severe winters with a covering of 

 straw or litter. They are becoming 

 more popular every year now that 

 their culture is better understood 

 than formerly, and when planted in 

 bold groups or masses they are very 

 ornamental plants in the flower- 



68 



border. The soil in which they are 

 to be grown should have a southern 

 aspect, and should be trenched to a 

 depth of about 3 ft., so as to secure 

 perfect drainage. Sandy loam and 

 leaf-soil with some well-rotted cow- 

 manure added makes a good compost, 

 in which they flourish. The best time 

 for planting is in March or April, 

 when the weather is favourable. The 

 clumps of roots should be buried 

 from 6 to 9 ins. beneath the surface, 

 and should be about a foot apart. A 

 mulching of well -rotted manure or 

 leaf-mould on the surface will keep 

 the soil moist even during the hottest 

 summer, and when it can be con- 

 veniently given it is better than 

 watering too often. At the same 

 time, it would be fatal to neglect 

 giving sufficient moisture during the 

 period of active growth, and this 

 point must be attended to in hot, dry 

 seasons. When the blossoms are 

 beginning to appear, watering with 

 weak liquid manure two or three 

 times a week will be highly beneficial, 

 and help the flower-stems to carry 

 their blossoms more erect. Faded 

 flowers should always be picked off, 

 not only because of their unsightli- 

 ness, but because the ripening of seeds 

 helps to exhaust the reserve materials 

 in the plants. Once the plants are 

 established and doing well, it is best 

 to leave them undisturbed for a few 

 years until they become too crowded 

 and show a falling-off in their growth. 

 Each season, however, when grown in 

 this way, they will be benefited by a 

 good mulching of well-decayed manure 

 over the surface about September. 

 It will supply fresh food and also 

 protect from frost, at the same time 

 preventing the heat absorbed during 

 the summer months from being 

 radiated too rapidly. 



Alstroemerias are easily increased 

 by carefully separating the fleshy roots 



