Which plant is symbolic of wealth, prosperity and fortune? Which plants comes from South America and dances the Samba as it grows? Which plant has leaves which are upside-down? (A clue is it is named after Baron Klas von Alstroemer).

Of course, it is the Lily of the Incas – the Alstroemeria. All modern Alstroemeria come from just two original sources. One group grew in the Andes and was a winter growing plant. The other group was from Brazil and was a summer growing plant. When this was discovered, the first thing European plant breeders decided to do was to combine the two. This created a long-flowering Alstroemeria which starts budding at the end of May and finishes the end of November. All our modern garden Alstroemeria are a hybrid of this Chile/Brazil mix and as a result are particularly long flowering.

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Cornwall is the place we go to on our holiday. The sea, the rocks, the beaches. The tin mines, the folklore, the pasties. The place to inspire poets, writers and artists…and plant breeders.

For here in the secretive heart of Cornwall, away from the tourists, lives Steve Yoxall. Now Steve Yoxall is not a name which springs to mind when you think of Cornwall, in truth Steve Yoxall does not spring to mind on any subject… unless you mention the two magic words: “Hardy Abutilon.” You see Steve is the master breeder of Abutilons. In the world of Abutilons, he is Stradivarius.

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