Flower spotlight: alstroemeria

Alstroemeria, commonly called the Peruvian lily, is a beautiful small flower than can be used to add color and fullness to any bouquet.  There are more than 50 varieties of this beautiful flower that originated in South America. It’s sometimes called the parrot lily as well.

Each bloom is about two inches and resembles a miniature lily with a trumpet-like flower, but they grow from tuberous roots rather than bulbs like Asiatic or oriental lilies. When used in cut arrangements, these blooms can last up to two weeks. When planted in a garden, alstroemeria is a colorful, long-lasting perennial in the southern United States.

Alstroemeria comes in a wide range of colors, including white, red, purple, yellow, pink, and orange. Many blooms are variegated with multiple colors, while others are a single color. The leaves twist out from the stem as they grow so that the leaves are actually upside down.

The flower most often symbolizes friendship, and the twisting growth of the leaves is said to symbolize the twists and turns that can occur in any friendship. It’s also a symbol of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. It’s rarely seen as a romantic flower, and it’s not tied to the Victorian tradition for flower meaning due to its discovery in Peru and recently spread to other parts of the world. 

Alstroemeria was named for Swedish baron Claus von Alstromer, who discovered the flower on a trip to Spain in 1753.

Thinking of ways to use alstroemeria in a cut bouquet? Call us today! What you envision, we make a reality!