The Parrot Lily (Alstroemeria psittacina) is a gorgeous plant from Brazil with exotic, feathery blooms reminiscent of parrots!  The trumpet-shaped flowers demand attention, with their unusual combination of crimson and light green.  This easy-to-grow plant adds a tropical touch to any garden, even if grown in a pot.  The blooms make excellent cut flowers, often lasting 2 weeks in a vase.  Hummingbirds love the plant as much as people do!

The Parrot Lily is a tuberous perennial with lush, green foliage about 1 to 2 feet tall.  From late spring through autumn, it sends up 2- to 3-foot tall flower stalks, each topped with about 5 to 9 speckled flowers in a radial pattern.  The species name psittacina is Latin for "parrot".  The plants multiply easily through offsets, eventually forming a large colony.  A border or bed of Parrot Lilies is an impressive sight, but even a single plant in a pot is quite a treat!

The Parrot Lily is easy to grow.  The tubers are reportedly hardy to 5 to 15 degrees F (-15 to -9 degrees C), if planted deep.  In colder areas, simply grow it in a pot and bring it indoors in the winter.  It enjoys sun, however in warmer areas like Florida and Texas, it will do best in filtered afternoon sun.  It spreads readily, and in fact can become invasive in warmer climates, so be careful where you plant it.  Here in mild San Francisco, it can bloom all the way into winter.

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More tips about growing it are here.