Peruvian Lily 'Inca Flamingo'

Soft pink to white petals with pretty, deeper pink splotches. A nice choice for gardens, and their compact growth will also work well in pots (just don’t forget to water and feed them).

Flowers galore, who could ask for anything more? These Dwarf Peruvian Lilies will bring months of beautiful blooms to the garden – beginning in spring or early summer, depending on where you live, they will keep on going right up to frost. You can pick them to fill your vases and there will still be enough to brighten your beds. Each bloom is 5-7cm across.

Gardeners and florists adore these easy care, abundant bloomers. This latest Inca series are even more floriferous and well branched. Compact, winter hardy, with almost constant blooms. I’ve grown this series for three years and am always impressed, mine (Dandenong Ranges) are always in flower which is wonderful because there is always something to pick.

Alstroemeria, commonly known as Peruvian Lilies are quite hardy and vigorous with a long bloom period, they are a magnet for beneficial insects such as butterflies and bees and will soon have your garden a flutter. Compact and upright with strong stems they are a great choice for gardens or containers. NB in containers their grow will be more compact and gardens will result in larger plants.

When growing Inca Peruvian Lilies it is important to ensure they are fertilised well. They grow quickly and flower profusely, so need to be well fed. We recommend a slow release fertiliser in late winter and spring. Or in pots you could add a liquid fertiliser on a regular basis over their flowering period.

After planting water in well, plants take at least four to six weeks for their roots to penetrate the surrounding soil and so need to be regularly watered over that time. As they establish they become dry tolerant - they have a fleshy root system that keeps a reserve of moisture. Well drained, humus rich soil conditions are best. Ideally, mulch in spring to protect the root system and help retain moisture.

Our tip - when you pick the stems it is best to twist then pluck them from the base to encourage more growth. We also advise this method when pruning spent flowers and foliage.

In the language of flowers the Alstroemerias signify friendship and devotion.