Dear Helen: I cannot find tuberous roots or plants of Peruvian
lily (Alstroemeria), a flower I used to grow. J.C. Dear J.C.:
Packages of roots for Alstroemeria aurea (A. aurantiaca), which
has beautiful yellow or orange flowers, used to be commonly
available in late winter and early spring. This is not so
currently and I'm not sure why. Either the plants have lost
popularity and gone out of fashion, or their bad habits have
caught up with them. Once very well established, the roots
become an aggressively travelling weed from hell, sprouting amid
desirable plants. It is almost impossible to eradicate. Ask one
who knows. Dwarf hybrids that bloom in pinks, purples and white
are sometimes available as potted plants in late spring, but
even these are seen far less frequently. I did track down a
grower still producing these plants, but they grow mainly to
supply Costco and Safeway stores, with any leftovers distributed
to garden centres that order them. They'll appear about late
May. Alstroemerias can be grown from