Practical
Plants

Bomarea salsilla

a perennial woody member of the Bomarea genus in the family Alstroemeriaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Bomarea
Life cycle
perennial
Woodiness
woody
Height
2 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Tuber - cooked[6][10][2][5]. Starchy[9].

Plant part
Root

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
S. America - Chile.
Habitat
Woods and thickets in mountains, by the coast in C. Chile, favouring humid areas[4].
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][7]. Plants are possibly hardy in the milder areas of Britain[1]. They tolerate temperatures down to about 0°cc, but the roots will survive lower temperatures if they are given a good thick organic mulch over the winter[7][8]. Plants prefer a minimum night temperature of 10°c[3]. Keep the plants almost dry in winter[3]. 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[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. ? Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)

    ↩

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  10. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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