Alstroemeria ligtu
L.
Alstroemeriaceae
Alstroemeria aurea Meyen
Alstroemeria chilensis Lem.
Alstroemeria ciliata Poepp.
Alstroemeria curtisiana E.Mey. ex C.Presl
Alstroemeria dentata Klotzsch ex Kunth
Alstroemeria feuillaeana E.Mey. ex C.Presl
Alstroemeria flava Phil.
Alstroemeria haemantha Ruiz & Pav.
Alstroemeria inaequalis Phil.
Alstroemeria ligra Crantz
Alstroemeria lothiam Utinet
Alstroemeria macraeana Herb.
Alstroemeria presliana Kunth
Alstroemeria pulchella Sims
Alstroemeria quillotensis Herb.
Alstroemeria simsii Spreng.
Alstroemeria stenopetala Phil.
Priopetalon pallidum Raf.
Common Name: Alstroemeria
Flowering cultivated plant
Photograph by: Meneerke bloem
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Flowering cultivated plant
Photograph by: Meneerke bloem
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0
Wild plant, growing in Chile.
Photograph by: Dick Culbert
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
General Information
Alstroemeria ligtu is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing a cluster of upright stems around 60cm tall from an underground, tuberous rootstock. The roots spread, forming in time quite a large clump of growth[
352- Title
- KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for its edible roots, which are used locally and also sometimes sold in local markets[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is commonly grown as an ornamental, where it is especially valued for its flowers. The lily-like flowers have a sweet fragrance of mignonette[
245- Title
- Scented Flora of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Genders. R.
- Publisher
- Robert Hale. London.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
- 0-7090-5440-8
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
]. They are one of the longest-lasting of cut flowers for the home and so are commonly grown for this purpose[
245- Title
- Scented Flora of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Genders. R.
- Publisher
- Robert Hale. London.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
- 0-7090-5440-8
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
].
Known Hazards
The fresh sap of this plant can cause skin rashes in some people. The plant contains up to 2% of the compound tuliposide A, which probably hydrolizes on the skin to form the allergenic lactone tulipalin A. People who are allergic to the sap of tulips are very likely to also be sensitive to the sap of this plant[
65- Title
- A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J.
- Publisher
- Wolfe
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0723408394
- Description
- Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
,
407- Title
- BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database)
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin.
].
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
S. America - Chile
Habitat
Dry scrub in rocky sandy soils[
187- Title
- Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-330-30936-9
- Description
- Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating | |
Habit | Perennial |
Height | 0.60 m |
Pollinators | Insects |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the subtropics to high elevations in the tropics. It is found at elevations around 3,000 metres at 10° south in Chile. Plants can tolerate short-lived frosts with temperatures down to perhaps -5°c[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants grow in areas with no distinct dry season, and also in areas where the dry season can be 3 - 5 months long[
330- Title
- ChileFlora
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.chileflora.com/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Not realy a flora, but a lovely site with lots of helpful information for the gardener and an abundance of excellent photos covering over 2,000 species of Chilean plants.
].
Requires a fertile, moisture retentive well-drained soil and a warm situation in sun or semi-shade[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant according to one report[
190- Title
- The Dry Garden.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chatto. B.
- Publisher
- Dent
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
- 0460045512
- Description
- A good list of drought resistant plants with details on how to grow them.
], whilst another says that the soil should not be allowed to dry out in the growing season[
42- Title
- Hardy Bulbs.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grey. C. H.
- Publisher
- Williams & Norgate.
- Year
- 1938
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.
]. Plants succeed in maritime gardens[
233- Title
- Perennial Garden Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thomas. G. S.
- Publisher
- J. M. Dent & Sons, London.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0 460 86048 8
- Description
- A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
].
Plants can be rather invasive in the garden, spreading by means of underground fleshy roots to form large patches[
187- Title
- Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-330-30936-9
- Description
- Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
]. We have found no reports of the plant becoming a weed, however[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The roots should be planted 15 - 20cm deep when dormant in late summer to autumn and then be well mulched to protect them from severe winter weather.
Somewhat intolerant of root disturbance[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
], the roots are fleshy and brittle[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Root - cooked[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
]. The roots are a source of a palatable starch[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
]. It is very nutritious and is given to children and invalids[
139- Title
- Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Some information about the useful plants of Chile.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - best sown in individual pots in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe although seedlings can be transplanted successfully if they are moved with care whilst small. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hrs in warm water, warm stratify for 4 weeks at 25°c and then reduce the temperature to 10°c. Excising a small bit of the seed near the embryo after the seed has been warm stratified helps to speed up the germination process[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. Plant out about 20cm deep into their permanent positions in late summer or autumn[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Division in mid spring or early autumn with care since the plant resents root disturbance[
133- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 1.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rice. G. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1987
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
]. Ensure each portion has a growth bud[
111- Title
- Popular Hardy Perennials.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sanders. T. W.
- Publisher
- Collingridge
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
].
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