Thursday, March 10, 2011

THE ALSTROEMERIA DILEMMA: TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING

I'm pulling up all of my regular Alstroemeria this Spring. I'm keeping the slower growing and much better behaved variegated variety. At first the small clump was of no concern. But this Spring I've noticed that it has SOMEHOW started growing in 2 other flowerbeds and in my monkey grass. It needs no care, no extra watering, no fertilizer, and yet blooms every Spring with its exotic crimson flowers. Still, I'm alarmed and it needs to go before it takes over the rest of my garden.
This is a tough call for me since it seems like the perfect plant....but it's a quiet creeper.
Exotic blooms, but beware if you live in a wet, zone 9 area!

Alstroemeria can easily make it through droughts....here's why!

Seems OK, until you lift the stones and find hundreds of white runners!
The variegated variety is much slower and I'll keep it.
The regular green variety is too powerful and overwhelms my other plants.
If you live in Houston or the Gulf Coast and REALLY want to grow it, keep it in a pot and not in the ground.
Thanks for stopping by. David/ Tropical Texana

7 comments:

  1. It looks like a great plant!! So....warmer weather.....how are your plants doing?

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  2. oh geez, I'll take some for container gardening! don't throw it ALL out!

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  3. Thanks for the info. I just bought this plant from Lowes last week. I'll have to keep an eye on it!

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  4. I'd like a few of those, too! But I'll plant them in pots, I promise!

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  5. Gorgeous blooms, but I certainly understand that you wouldn't want or need a plant that's this aggressive. gail

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  6. I was totally serious about taking some, by the way. You just leave some out in a bag or bucket on a curb somewhere and let me know where--I'll drive by after work and nab it.

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I always appreciate your comments & questions! Happy Gardening from David/ Tropical Texana

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