Horticulture Magazine

Any Of These 20 Peruvian Lily Types Work Well In Summer Borders Or Containers

red alstroemerias growing together outside with white ones in the background

PERENNIALS > ALSTROEMERIA > VARIETIES

By ELIZABETH WADDINGTON
Elizabeth Waddington, MA, Dip.Perm.Des. - Garden Designer

Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.

 / Updated October 9th, 2024
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin Skelly, MHort (RHS), MCIHort - Horticulturist

Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.

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IN THIS GUIDE

ALSTROEMERIA GUIDES

Container Growing
Deadheading
Division
Problems
Varieties
Winter Care

Also referred to as Peruvian lilies, Alstroemerias are a popular choice for UK gardens.

They work very well either in summer borders or in containers, and there are many modern cultivars that you can choose from.

orange, yellow, pink, purple and white flowering alstroemerias growing in a pot indoors

In fact, the array of options when trying to choose Alstroemerias for your garden can be somewhat overwhelming.

When choosing between these plants, it can be helpful to think about:

  • Where you wish to grow it (in the ground or in a container)
  • The height of a particular cultivar
  • The colours of the blooms and foliage (and your personal preferences in regard to these things)

Horticulturist Colin Skelly professes his love for Peruvian Lilies: “I use Alstroemerias to create bold, contrasting colour matches as their bright colours lend themselves to this, particularly as they flower at the height of summer when many other showy flowers are blooming.”

“However, you may wish to combine them harmoniously with other plants.

“Use a colour wheel – colours opposite to each other will contrast whilst those next to each other will harmonise.”

In order to help you narrow down your choices, we’ve devised this list of interesting and beautiful Alstroemerias to grow:

1) A. ‘Apollo’

a. apollo with white petals and yellow middles growing outside in grass
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Apollo’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): White, brown and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

‘Apollo’ is an attractive Alstroemeria which grows to around 1m in height.

It has flowers which have yellow centres and pure white edges, streaked with brown.

2) A. psittacina ‘Royal Star’

alstroemeria psittacina with red funnel-shaped flowers growing outside with a grassy garden behind
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Royal Star’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Red and Green
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

This clump-forming tuberous perennial grows to around 90cm in height.

The blooms of this type of Alstroemeria are red and funnel-shaped, with green tips and deeper red markings.

The leaves have irregular white fringes around their edges.

3) A. ‘Cahors’ (Planet Series)

Alstroemerias with orange and yellow colours on its petals
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Cahors’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Yellow and red
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

Several options in the Planet series of Alstroemeria make it onto our list.

These are very popular Alstroemeria varieties, which are widely available for sale in the UK.1Alstroemeria Planet Series. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/374460/alstroemeria-planet-series/details

Cahors also grows up to around 90cm in height.

Its mid-tone green, lance-shaped leaves set its yellow, red-streaked and deep pink flowers off to great effect.

4) A. ‘Coronet’

three flowers from an Alstroemeria plant with pink and white petals growing inside a greenhouse
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Coronet’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Pink, brown and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

This larger, dramatic Alstroemeria can grow up to around 1.4m in height.

Its flowers are a vibrant salmon pinkish-peach shade, with a yellow flare, brown-streaked, within.

5) A. ‘Friendship’

Peruvian Lily plant with pink and yellow leaves growing in front of other white flowers
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Friendship’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H5
  • FLOWER(S): Cream, pink and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

‘Friendship’ is somewhat hardier than the other options on this list, with a hardiness rating of H5 rather than H4 like most Alstroemeria.2Alstroemeria “Friendship.” (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/119424/alstroemeria-friendship/details

It can grow to around a metre in height and bears blooms of a lovely creamy yellow, flushed with pink, and with brown streaks towards the centres.

6) A. Indian Summer (‘Tesronto’PBR)

A. Indian summer plant with orange and yellow flowers that have slashes of dark brown across the petals growing amongst their green foliage
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily [Indian Summer]
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Orange, red and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

In the Summer Paradise Series, this Alstroemeria is another of the most popular cultivars in the UK, growing up to 1m tall.3Alstroemeria Indian Summer. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/315669/i-alstroemeria-i-font-face-times-new-roman-indian-summer-font-tesronto-sup-(pbr)-sup-(summer-paradise-series)/details

It has dark green to dark purple lanceolate leaves, and funnel shaped flowers which are a lovely fiery orange-yellow, with red marking and some brown streaks inside.

7) A. Inticancha Passion (‘Tespassion’PBR)

purple flowering Peruvian Lily growing outside in the sunshine
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily [Inticancha Passion]
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): White and purple
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

The Inticancha Passion is part of another Series of Alstroemeria cultivars which are much smaller and shorter than other varieties.

They grow only around 30cm high with a similar spread, and so can be ideal for containers, or for the front of a border.

There are several other different options to choose from within this series, with flowers in a range of different hues.

8) A. aurea ‘Lutea’

alstroemeria with yellow flowers growing outside in front of green foliage
  • COMMON NAME(S): Alstroemeria aurea yellow
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Yellow and brown
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

Alstroemeria aurea ‘Lutea’ is a slightly taller option that grows to a height of 1-1.2m.

It has vivid, bright yellow flowers, which are specked with brown.

9) A. ‘Orange Glory’

orange blooming alstroemerias with long stems growing outdoors
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Orange Glory’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Brown, orange and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

Also growing to around the same height, about 1 to 1.2m, this cultivar, as the name implies, has bright orange blooms.

These are blotched with a cheery yellow colour.

10) A. ‘Oriana’

a close-up of a white alstroemeria with a yellow centre in front of other purple, white and yellow hues
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Oriana’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Brown, pink and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

This is another more compact Alstroemeria, which will not usually exceed 50cm in height or spread.

It is another excellent option for containers.

It has funnel shaped flowers in a deep pink hue, with yellow inner petals with deep pink tips and brown dashes.

11) A. ‘Phoenix’

red flowering Peruvian Lilies in front of their green shrubbery
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Phoenix’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Red and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

The startling blooms of this cultivar are a glorious rosy red with deeper red streaks, with yellow blotches on the innermost two petals, which are speckled with small dark streaks.

The foliage is variegated, with mid-green cores, pale green and creamy borders, and is tinged with pink in spring.

12) A. ‘Red Elf’

red alstroemeria heads with yellow and brown inflections on the petals growing in the sun
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Red Elf’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Red
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

Another deep red option, these predominantly red flowers have orange blushes towards the centre, dappled with dark black streaks.

13) A. Rock ‘n’ Roll (‘Alsdun01’PBR) 

a bed of red Peruvian lilies growing outside with their green leaves around them
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily [Rock ‘n’ Roll]
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Red and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

This variety is prized not only for its beautiful deep red flowers,with their yellow, dark streaked blushes, but also for its foliage.

New shoots are yellow, stems turning white, and the leaves are a vibrant white, with green streaks and edges.4Alstroemeria “Rock ‘n’ Roll.” (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/311959/alstroemeria-rock-n-roll-(-alsdun01-pbr)-(v)/details

The flowers can grow up to around 1.5m in height.

14) A. ‘Saturne’ (Planet Series)

alstroemeria with purple outer leaves and yellow inner ones with flecks of brown on them growing outside
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Saturne’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Pink
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer

‘Saturne’ is another popular option within the Planet Series.

This Alstroemeria has coral-pink outer petals, kissed with a deeper pink, and inner petals of a golden yellow hue, speckled with dark, earthy red.

It can grow to around 60-70cm in height.

15) A. ‘Sirius’ (Planet Series)

A. 'Sirius' (Planet Series)
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Sirius’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Pink and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

‘Sirius’ is another popular choice within the Planet Series of Alstroemeria.

It has vibrant pink flowers, with some darker reddish streaks on yellow flashes in the centre of each flower.

16) A. ‘Sonata’

orange alstroemeria plant heads growing in front of their green foliage
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Sonata’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Red and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

‘Sonata’ is another highly regarded Alstroemeria cultivar.

It grows to a height of around a metre and has bright red flowers.

The inner petals have yellow patches and dark red streaks.

17) A. ‘Spitfire’

a close-up of a Peruvian Lily flower with orange leaves on the outside and yellow and black on the inside
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Spitfire’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Red and yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

‘Spitfire’ is another warm and vibrant Alstroemeria to consider.

It grows to a height of 90cm and has orangey-red flowers with bright yellow flares inside, mottled with darker streaks.

The variegated leaves are also attractive, with green centres and yellowy cream edges.

18) A. Summer Snow (‘Gasumsnow’)

alstroemeria summer snow plant with lots of flowering white heads growing outdoors
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily [Summer Snow]
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

This is a relatively new cultivar, with creamy white blooms.5Alstroemeria Summer Snow. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/358745/alstroemeria-summer-snow-gasumsnow-(summer-paradise-series)/details

It grows to a height of around 70cm and spread of around 50cm.

The flowers are born freely and continuously through the summer and often well into autumn.

This is another option within the Summer Paradise Series of Alstroemeria.

19) A. ‘Tessa’

orange and yellow alstroemerias with green foliage
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Tessa’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Yellow and red
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

Another taller Alstroemeria, growing up to around 1.2m in height on average.

‘Tessa’ has red flowers, with dark red streaks, and small yellow blotches on the upper two inner petals.

20) A. ‘Yellow Friendship’

yellow and orange flowering spotted alstroemerias growing outside in front of a leafy background
  • COMMON NAME(S): Peruvian Lily ‘Yellow Friendship’
  • HARDINESS RATING: H4
  • FLOWER(S): Yellow
  • FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn

‘Yellow Friendship’ is not H5 hardy like the original ‘Friendship’, but it is another great choice to consider.

Like all the other Alstroemeria on this list, it is H4 hardy.

It has outer petals of a light, lemony-yellow shade and brighter yellow inner petals that are streaked with dashes of dark brown.

Of course, the options outlined in this list are by no means your only options.

There are plenty of other beautiful varieties to consider, but the options here are a great place to start, as these represent the cream of the crop for Alstroemeria to grow in the UK.

References

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