Alstroemeria Rock & Roll® Scoops Silver at Plantarium

AUSTRALIA has produced many fine rock artists from INXS and AC/DC to Jason and Kylie, but now a new musical sensation from Down Under is topping the charts in the Euro horticultural hit parade.

The Alstroemeria Rock & Roll® took its bow to the European horticultural industry at the renowned Plantarium 2011 show in the Netherlands where it hit all the right notes with the judges.

This striking new plant by Tesselaar International based in Victoria, Australia, scooped a silver medal at the 29th staging of the prestigious international trade show for the tree-nursery industry, which featured more than 300 worldwide exhibitors.

A delighted Anthony Tesselaar said: “It is a fantastic achievement. We have received a really strong response from everyone who saw the plant, with plenty of interest shown from consumers wanting to grow the variety. In particular, there was really strong interest from Dutch consumers who normally don’t like variegated plants, but in this instance they clearly did!
“The overall quality of the Plantarium stands was way up on last year, and I think both our stand and theme created some great comments.
“You know when your stand is getting attention because when we went to pick up our show tickets from the stand office and we mentioned Tesselaar, the lady said ‘love your stand’!”

Those comments were music to the ears of the triumphant Tesselaar International team as visitors recognised how Rock & Roll provides a stunning addition to any garden display.

Its yellow variegation matures to white with a green edge, and combines dramatically with dark red flowers which are produced repeatedly through to autumn, making a long-lasting cut bloom.

Rock & Roll’s growth, which reaches an eventual height and spread of 90cm x 60cm, is compact and clump forming.

With a sensational, eye-catching display of flowers and foliage which stand out in any surrounding, the Rock n Roll sits in horticultural harmony either in a garden, a pot or when used as a cut flower.

Alstroemeria Rock n Roll fact file

· Suggested uses - Mass plant in the home garden or in decorative containers. Ideal as a potted gift in spring / summer

· Growth habit - Compact, bushy and clump forming from underground shoots

· Flower size - 60-70mm

· Mature height - 80-100cm

· Mature width - 50-70cm

· Spacing - 50cm spacing

· Hardiness - Frost tender and deciduous in cold climates

· Flowering period - spring right through until early autumn

· Number of flowers - Masses of stems each with 6-12 individual flowers

· Flower Colour - Dark red

· Fragrance - None

· Foliage - Variegated green and yellow, with the yellow ageing to pure white

· Pruning/Pinching - Pull expended flower stems from ground to refresh foliage and promote new growth and flowers

· Light needs - Full sun to part shade

· Soil needs - Free draining friable soil, will perform best with plenty of organic matter incorporated

· Water needs - Average to moist, not boggy or very dry

· Disease tolerance - No specific diseases

· Pest issues - Susceptible to snails and slugs

· Special care - Protect in very cold and hot climates. Monitor shade levels as sun intensifies

· Botanical name – Alstroemeria

· www.tesselaar.com for more information