Alstroemeria Colorita 'Kate'
Alstroemeria Colorita ‘Kate’ (cultivar ‘Zaprikate’) is a compact patio‑type Peruvian lily bred for containers and small spaces. Its standout traits are a dense, low habit and masses of deep red blooms with a yellow throat over a long warm‑season window. In North America it performs best in containers or warm‑winter gardens. Where winters are cold, grow it as a seasonal container plant and overwinter frost‑free.
At‑a‑glance
- Group/Class: Colorita Series (compact patio alstroemeria)
- Height × spread: 12-16 in × 10-14 in (30-40 cm × 25-35 cm)
- Bloom window: late spring to frost in warm summers
- Color & flower form: deep red with a yellow throat; lily‑like clusters
- Fragrance: 0 none
- USDA hardiness: zones 8-11; grown as annual or container north of zone 8
- Breeder / Year / Origin: Royal Van Zanten, unknown, Netherlands
- Awards/registration: US Plant Patent PP24,214 (as ‘Zaprikate’)
- Pet safety: generally safe for cats and dogs
How it differs
- Genetically compact habit compared with typical border alstroemerias.
- Long warm‑season flowering in pots with regular picking.
- Stays neat without staking.
- Best container choice where hardy types grow too large.
Strengths
- Excellent in patio pots and small beds.
- Heavy bloom with regular deadheading.
- Low, tidy mound habit.
- Good color impact in warm weather.
Care in one minute
- Grow in full sun to part sun; afternoon shade in hot inland sites.
- Use a well‑drained, peat‑free potting mix; keep evenly moist.
- Fertilize lightly every 3-4 weeks in summer.
- Regularly remove spent stems at the base to keep blooms coming.
- Before frost, move containers to a bright, frost‑free spot for winter.
Watch‑outs
- Half‑hardy; protect from frost and freezing containers.
- Needs consistent moisture in pots; avoid soggy media.
- Root system is fragile-repot carefully.
Best uses (tags)
- containers
- borders
- heat‑tolerant
- accent
Provenance note
Trade name Colorita ‘Kate’; cultivar ‘Zaprikate’. Bred within Royal Van Zanten’s outdoor Colorita program in the Netherlands; patented in the U.S. as PP24,214.
