Talk about showy!  Bomarea vines are related to Alstroemeria, the "Peruvian Lily" seen in floral arrangements.  Most of the 300 species of Bomarea are rarely seen in cultivation.  This dramatic "Orange Sunset" form is an undetermined species from the cool mountains of Ecuador.  All year long it puts on a fireworks show of clustered flowers that are orange-red on the outside, and speckled orange inside.  If you can provide the right conditions for it, it's a stunning plant to grow.  Fresh (not stored) Bomarea seeds are rarely seen for sale.

The Orange Sunset Bomarea is a tuber-forming perennial with attractive, twining shoots that grow 10 to 15 feet long.  If the shoots grow too tall, simply wrap them around a trellis or a bush.  The flower clusters appear in large numbers most months of the year on mature plants.  Each cluster gets 5 to 10 inches across and has from 10 to 40 flowers.  The plant can go dormant or semi-dormant if temperatures are cool enough in winter, while indoor-grown plants may stay evergreen.

Most Bomareas come from cloud forests of the Andes mountains, where temperatures are mild all year and nights are cool.  Most Bomareas don't thrive in hot conditions, especially if nights are warm.  It's possible that this plant will not perform well if temperatures consistently get above 85 degrees F (30 degrees C) and nights are warm.  The foliage may be killed by frost, but the tubers should be hardy to at least 25 degrees F (-4C).  You may grow it indoors in a 5 gallon (20 liter) container. 

The vine prefers part sunlight, with some protection from strong afternoon sun.  Give it something to twine itself around, like a trellis or another plant.  The vine likes rich, well-draining soil that is kept moist.  Over about 40% humidity is recommended for this cloud forest plant. 

Check availability

Germination tips for this plant