Alstroemeria Summer Paradise Summer Break

Peruvian Lily or Alstroemeria 'Summer Break' belongs to a new line of cold-resistant hybrids, capable of surviving occasional frosts of around -15°C, making them well suited for outdoor cultivation. This variety also boasts many blooms, with charming candy pink lily flowers variegated with white and delicately speckled with brown-purple in the throat, set off by beautiful dark green glossy foliage.

'Summer Break' is a recent variety resulting from the hybridization of several tuberous species native to South America, particularly the Chilean Andes. These high-altitude plants belonging to the Alstroemeriaceae family are more or less hardy, appreciate moist, well-drained soils, in lightly wooded and cool areas. Slow to establish, they can disappear or... become invasive! Quirky and fantastic plants, very sensitive to growing conditions, they are "indestructible" once you have found the right spot for them.

'Summer Break' surprises with its hardiness. The plant quickly forms clumps of sturdy leafy stems that can reach 70 cm (28in) in height when flowering, with a spread of 50 cm (20in). The flowering period extends from June to October-November. The open flowers are gathered in terminal umbels. They consist of 3 small central petals, fresh pink with a white centre streaked with brown, surrounded by 3 larger petals of the same pink. Each plant can produce at least 30 flowers. The foliage is arranged on the upper part of the stems. The leaves of this variety are an elegant, shiny dark green shade, in perfect harmony with the flowering. The foliage and stems disappear in winter, leaving only the running stump with fleshy roots underground. The root is sensitive to the shock of transplantation, especially in older plants.

'Summer Break' is a superb variety for the garden. This exceptional perennial, when mature, creates a magnificent spectacle in borders or on a semi-shaded slope. For example, it pairs well with magenta-red shrubby salvias or grasses, which complement its autumn colours with their foliage and magnificent late-season blooms. It can also be planted alongside Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, with intensely blue flowers and red foliage in October. A marvel! It can also be grown in pots.

Note: Please be aware that our plug plants are professional products intended for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, repot and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame...) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before planting them outdoors once the risk of frost is definitively eliminated.