[Please note - these are provisional notes based on growing about a dozen species in western Europe. There are well over 100 species, so it may be necessary to adopt a somewhat different regime to be successful with some species I have not tried.]

Bomareas are members of the Alstroemeriaceae, and are closely related to Alstroemerias, sharing a number of similarities with this more familiar genus. For example, they produce underground tubers which allow them to survive in seasonally dry soils, and they (mostly) have leaves which posess the unusual property of twisting so that the upward facing surface is that which on other plants would be facing downwards!

They differ in that most Bomareas are twining climbers, and have flowers that are more tubular than nearly all Alstroemerias. They are native to the Americas, mostly S. America, with a large number occurring in the tropics.

Bomareas are generally fairly unfussy as to soils or composts, provided they do not become waterlogged. They can be grown in pots or in the open ground. However, if grown in pots, a large enough pot will need to be used and repotting will be needed regularly, as these plants can be gross feeders. Despite their provenance, a surprising number can be grown outside [in Western Europe] (= USDA zone 9 or zone 8 against a wall) as long as the roots are deep enough to avoid freezing up. Bomareas seem to appreciate some protection from the strongest sunlight.

The exact growing regime for Bomareas depends on the species. For example, the most southerly species (B. salsilla) adopts a strictly mediterranean growth cycle, dying back in early summer, and can be allowed to dry out until autumn. Other species , for example B. caldasii, tend to prefer their soil not to dry out entirely, and will respond by remaining evergreen unless foliage is cut down by frosts. All will resprout during spring. However, if in doubt it is probably best not to let the compost dry out entirely.

Bomareas form a growth point from which the stems and roots radiate. Some of the roots terminate in tubers, but unfortunately these appear to have negligible regenerative power. In due course, most plants will start to form rhizomes on which new growing points will form, and at that stage can be divided.

Flowers form as terminal clusters at the end of each stem from mature plants.

Those that twine can be trained around some sort of framework that will allow the (generally eye-catching) flowers to be seen at eye level. The more vigorous can grow to substantial heights, and will probably benefit from some sort of root-restriction unless tree-height flowering is acceptable.

The two principal modes of propagation are from seed and by division.

Seed can be induced to set by assisted pollination - if the required hummingbirds are absent! Most seem to be prepared to be self-pollinated, but as always it would probably be desirable to cross two different clones. The seed will take several months to ripen. Eventually when the capsules ripen, they split to reveal the seeds within. These are often almost as decorative as the flowers, as they can be brightly coloured. The seed can either be sown immediately or dried carefully and cool stored for later use. Seed is easy to handle, being spherical and diameter of several millimetres.

The seed does not seem to need any special triggers other than temperature and moisture to achieve germination, so cover the seed with its own depth of compost. Some species will germinate in warmth, but most seem to germinate as temperatures become cooler in autumn and early winter. However, keep an eye on all pots as even those preferring the latter regime may throw the odd seedling at any time in spring and summer. The best time to sow seeds is probably late summer. However, if left too late, the seeds may well fail to appear until the following autumn. It would be a mistake to keep the seeds permanently warm in the hope it might stimulate germination. However, do not let them actually freeze. In this respect, treat them much as if you were raising narcissi from seed.

Vegetative propagation can be achieved by dividing rhizomes as outlined above, provided each division has a growing point. It may also be possible to root stem cuttings, but some monocots can be difficult in this respect and I have no experience myself.