Bomarea acutifolia
Yatzi
a perennial woody member of the Bomarea genus in the family Alstroemeriaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Alstroemeriaceae
- Genus
- Bomarea
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Woodiness
- woody
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Tuber - cooked[8][2][4]. Starchy[7][5].
- Plant part
- Root
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Climber
Environment
- Range
- Southern N. America - S. Mexico.
- Habitat
- Shady woodlands in oak woods, tropical deciduous and tropical evergreen forests[5].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse, it will germinate in a few weeks[1]. Stratify stored seed for 3 weeks at 20°c, then 3 weeks at 5°c[3]. It usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 20°c[3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring, with care since the roots are brittle. Each portion must have some roots and a growth bud[1]. Pot up the divisions, grow them on in the greenhouse until they are well established and then plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer or late spring of the following year.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a warm sunny position and a well-drained slightly acid soil[1][6]. Plants are possibly hardy in the milder areas of Britain[1]. They prefer a minimum night temperature of 10°c[3]. Keep the plants almost dry in winter[3] and apply a good thick organic mulch to the roots[6]. The mulch should be removed as growth commences in the spring because the young shoots are very susceptible to slug damage[K]. This genus is closely related to Alstroemeria species[6]. The plant is closely related to B. shuttleworthi[6].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00
Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00
Pesman. M. W. Meet Flora Mexicana. Dale S. King. Arizona. 1962-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202