Alstroemeria psitticina

‘Mona Lisa’

MONA LISA

ALSTROEMERIA

No WA

Alstroemeria psitticina ‘Mona Lisa’
MONA LISA ALSTROEMERIA

Beautiful, large flower heads in shades of rose, pinks and cream make a big statement on Alstroemeria psitticina ‘Mona Lisa’.
Not permitted for entry to WA

Each bloom is intriguingly decorated with tiger stripes.
And these glowing trumpets of blooms are held on tall, strong, upright flower stems from late spring, through summer & autumn.
With ‘Mona Lisa’ being more robust growing than many of the other more highly bred tall florist’s Alstroemerias.

Superb garden display & commercial quality cut flowers

So Alstromeria psitticina ‘Mona Lisa’ makes superb and long lasting garden displays.
As well as wonderful, commercial quality cut flowers.
Because this hardy variety blooms almost ceaselessly through the warm months, and is sturdily weather proof.

Growers tip for cut flowers

But when you are harvesting the flower stems, grasp firmly and twist – so they come away from the base cleanly, rather than cutting the stems.
And this keeps the Alstroemeria’s corm in great order.
So the more you harvest, the more flowers each corm will produce.

Hardy, easy, low maintenance

Plant Alstroemeria in Full Sun to Part Shade.
Were they make a hardy, easy, low maintenance perennial clump which brings you colour, flowers and pleasure for many years.
And each year your clump will increase in girth, and become more productive.
Plus they are water-wise plants, requiring only average garden watering to prosper.

Rabbit & Deer resistant, but pollinator friendly. 

They are rarely, if ever, troubled by any pests and diseases, including rabbits and deer, who treat them with ignore.
However honey-eating native birds adore foraging amongst the trumpet blooms (doing passable impersonations of Hummingbirds), and other beneficial pollinating insects enjoy them as much as we do.

Hardy perennial clump 9cm H x 45cm W.

SEED SOWING ADVICE:

Sow Alstroemeria  seed at any time indoors in punnets or pots.

First soak seeds overnight in hot water.
Then in the morning any seeds that have sunk are ready to sow.
But floating seeds need to soak again in fresh hot water.
And keep repeating with fresh hot water until the hard shells have swollen and the seeds sink in the water. The seeds are now ready to sow and accept moisture.

Now sow using good quality seed raising mix.
And press each large seed gently into the surface of the mix.
But cover the seeds only lightly with sieved mix.

Keep the sown punnet or pots in a very warm (25-30°C optimum), well-lit spot for 3 weeks.
Then cling-wrap the moist punnet, and place punnet in the fridge (not freezer) for 3 weeks. Finally remove the punnet from the fridge, unwrap, and return it to a warm, well-lit spot (20-25°C optimum) for the seeds to germinate.

Some seeds will be quick to appear, while others may take longer to germinate.
This is a natural process, as the plant cunningly sets up it’s seeds to germinate at staggered intervals. to ensure better survival chances in a variable climate.
So do not discard the punnet too quickly – patience is rewarded.

SEED COUNT: 5 large seeds per pack.

GROWING: Alstroemeria psitticina ‘Mona Lisa’

– Height with flowers: 90cm approx.
–Width: 45cm perennial clump.
– Position: Full Sun to 1/2 Shade
– Soil: Happily tolerate sandy soils to heavy clay, as long as it is well drained. However the fleshy roots will rot in waterlogged soil. So raise the planting mound in heavier soils to give better drainage.
– Frost: Hardy down to approximately -6C, but with overhead shelter from trees can do even better. In hard frost areas mulch in winter.
– Growth: Hardy herbaceous perennial.
– Beware: Wear gloves when cutting, as the tulipalin compound in the sap may cause skin irritation in susceptible individuals.

Other benefits

– Beneficial to wildlife: The long blooming period gives a steady supply of food to nectar and pollen gathering bees, birds and butterflies. The Alstroemeria flowers make it easy for our insect friends to zoom in accurately, using those handy landing strip markings on the petals.

Easy work & resilient

– Care: Very easy low maintenance, only requiring some fertilizer during the growing season, and a winter trim to the ground to tidy. In very hot summer areas mulch in summer. In hard frost areas mulch in winter.
– Deer & Rabbit resistant: The whole plant contains a toxin called called tulipalin which burns the mouth. So rabbits and deer are wise enough to leave them alone.

– Origin: Alstroemeria are native to South America, particularly in Chile and Peru. Hence their common names of ‘Peruvian Lily’, ‘Lily of the Incas’ or ‘Parrot Lily’.
The name Alstroemeria commemorates a gardening hero – Claus von Alstomer.
Claus was wise enough in 1753 to send some Alstroemeria seed home to Sweden from Spain.
While visiting Spain he spotted the spectacular flowers of plants recently introduced from the Spanish conquests in South America.

Myths & legends

– Myths & legends: Tradition says that each of the six petals in an Alstroemeria flower represents a desirable quality: a petal each for understanding, humour, patience, empathy, commitment and respect.

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