Bomarea

Unflowered plants from our seed collection, although attributes and geography suggest a likelihood of this being the species edulis due to widespread cultivation from pre-Columbian times thanks to the edible tubers. If this is edulis, expect 24 or more pink-tubed flowers with green-yellow throats in a fireworks umbel. Showy orange seeds in fall. This is a vining Alstroemeria relative and should be hardy to warm zone 7 especially with mulch. Likes a semi-shaded spot where it can twine to 10'.

Perhaps the most splendid yet in our little collection of these enigmatic little South American Peruvian lily relatives. This one comes to us from Ecuador via plant friend Chen Hao. The flaming red and orange flowers were something to behold in their inaugural appearance and are worth bending over backward like the resupinate leaves to lay eyes on. Likely vigorously vining where it can overwinter well, hard to say where that might be, anything less than Zone 9 is potentially a gamble but please report to us any positive results!

A Mexican collection of one of these charismatic vining Alstroemeria relatives from FRBC board member Cody Hinchliff. Expect the usual fiery hued flower clusters that make us so addicted to this genus and hopefully a little more hardiness than usual given their being found at 9600' amidst pine forest, let us know!

Bomareas make our head spin, in good and bad ways. I was pleased to find out recently that we aren't the only ones, apparently the non-twiners sometimes twine, and the number of flowers vary widely, as do the color patterns. So basically don't worry too much about keying this one out, instead sit back and enjoy the twirling petioles and tropical colored flowers at face value. This is another in a series of mystery Bomareas we received from friend Chen Hao, it's hard to pick a favorite! With the mystery comes mystery hardiness so please trial it for us, what we can say is full sun and a bit of moisture are welcome companions.