Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily): planting, overwintering and why the stems are pulled

In brief: Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) is a tuberous perennial from South America. Garden varieties overwinter outdoors under a thick layer of mulch, while cut-flower hybrids in a container want a frost-free winter spot. It is planted in spring in sunny, free-draining soil, and the stems are harvested by pulling, not cutting.

You probably know alstroemeria from a bouquet. In a florist's it is among the longest-lasting cut flowers and in a vase it lasts two weeks or more. It is less well known that many varieties also grow in a Czech garden, where every year they send up new stems from fleshy root tubers.

This article is for you if you are deciding whether to plant alstroemeria in a bed or a pot, how to get it through winter and why the stems are not cut with scissors. We also add one thing that is little talked about: the sap from the stems can cause eczema on the fingers in sensitive people.

Garden and cut-flower varieties: first find out what you are buying

Under the name alstroemeria two groups of plants with completely different fates in winter are sold. The whole of the cultivation depends on them.

Seed can be found in ordinary sale, but most of the popular coloured hybrids do not come true from seed, and seedlings flower only in the second or third year. That is why in practice alstroemerias are bought as potted plants and propagated further by division.

Where to plant it so that it flowers all summer

Alstroemeria wants sun. In shade it sends up long leafy stems and flowers little. In the warmest parts of the country it benefits from a spot with light shade over midday but sun in the morning and afternoon.

More important than light is the soil. The roots are fleshy and brittle and rot in winter if they stand in water. Free-draining, fertile, humus-rich soil is suitable. Improve heavy clay soil with compost and coarse sand; otherwise grow alstroemeria rather in a raised bed or a container. The roots spread sideways; in a perennial bed allow about half a metre per clump. You can find tips on combinations with other perennials in the article ornamental perennials for years to come.

Planting step by step

1. Plant in spring once it has warmed up, or at the beginning of autumn, when the soil is warm and moist and the roots root quickly. Summer planting in the heat is the riskiest.
2. Dig a hole a little deeper and wider than the root ball. Loosen the bottom and mix the excavated soil with compost.
3. Tip the plant out carefully; the root tubers break easily. Do not divide or tease out the root ball.
4. Plant it so that the top of the ball is a few centimetres lower than the surrounding ground. Deeper placement protects the roots from frost.
5. Cover, press down and water thoroughly. In the first summer water regularly in dry weather until the plant roots.
6. Support taller varieties with stakes or netting right in spring while the stems are low. Otherwise they flop in rain and wind.

Pull, do not cut: harvesting stems for a vase

This is the most common advice that alstroemeria growers repeat, and it also applies to spent stems. Grasp the stem low down near the ground and pull it upwards with a short tug. It snaps off below the soil surface, at the root tuber. The plant responds by forming new flower stems.

If you cut the stem off, a stump stays in the ground, which dries up, and no new stem grows from it. In the first summer after planting, however, still cut the stems; a young plant is not anchored well enough and you could pull the whole of it out.

For the vase cut stems on which the buds are just before opening and the first flower is just opening. Remove leaves that would be under water; the rest of the leaves wilt sooner than the flowers and can be taken off. General rules for the long life of bouquets are summarised in the article how to keep plants beautiful in a vase for a long time.

Winter: mulch in the bed, frost-free for a container

In the bed

Garden varieties are hardy once established; the most sensitive are the first one or two winters. In autumn, when the above-ground part turns yellow, remove it and cover the root area with a mulch of composted bark or leaves in a layer of around 20 cm. In spring, when the hard frosts stop, rake the mulch aside so that the soil warms up faster. Why and with what to mulch is explained in the article why mulch a bed.

In a container

Roots in a pot freeze through much more than in the ground, so move the container before the first frost to a bright, cool, frost-free room, for example a hallway, a garage with a window or a conservatory. Over winter water only enough that the substrate does not dry out completely. For containers use a large pot with holes, a substrate with about 20 % coarse sand or perlite added, and in summer feed with a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants with a higher potassium content. Which containers suit perennials is compared in the article what to grow in.

Propagation by division and why not to rush it

Older clumps can be divided in spring, in April. Lift the clump with as large a root ball as possible, divide it by hand or with a sharp spade so that each piece has several shoots and part of the root tubers, and replant at once. The roots are brittle and every injury sets the plant back, so do not divide clumps unnecessarily. A healthy alstroemeria can grow in one place for many years.

The troubles that appear most often

• Lots of leaves, few flowers – too little sun or too much nitrogen. Move to a brighter spot and switch to a fertiliser for flowering plants.
• The plant did not sprout in spring – the roots rotted in wet soil or froze. On heavy soil plant on a raised spot.
• Chewed young shoots – slugs. In spring check the bed after rain.
• Spotted or twisted leaves – may be viruses. Discard such a plant; there is no cure.

Safety: animals at ease, sensitive skin in gloves

According to the ASPCA database alstroemeria is non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. So if a cat nibbles a bouquet, it is not poisoning, at worst an upset stomach.

In people it is different. The plant contains tuliposide A, the same substance as tulips, and it can cause allergic contact eczema. Typically it appears as cracked, peeling skin on the fingertips of people who often cut and pull alstroemerias, especially florists. If you work with them in larger quantities, wear nitrile gloves; according to dermatologists the allergen does not pass through them as easily as through ordinary latex or fabric ones.

Frequently asked questions

Is alstroemeria a perennial or an annual?

A perennial. Garden varieties overwinter in a bed and sprout again every year. Pot and cut-flower hybrids are also perennial, they just need to overwinter frost-free.

How do I overwinter alstroemeria in a pot?

Before the first frost move it to a bright, cool room where the temperature does not fall below zero. Water rarely, only so that the substrate does not dry out completely, and do not feed. In spring return it outdoors gradually.

Why is alstroemeria pulled and not cut?

Pulling separates the stem at the root tuber, and the plant receives a signal to form new flower stems. A cut-off stump just dries up. The exception is the first summer after planting, when you should still cut the stems.

How long does alstroemeria last in a vase?

Usually two weeks, often longer. A clean vase, cutting in bud and removing leaves below the water line help.

Is alstroemeria poisonous to cats?

According to the ASPCA it is not; it is not toxic to cats, dogs or horses. In people, however, the sap from the stems can cause contact skin allergy.

Can alstroemeria be grown from seed?

It can, but it is slow and the result in hybrids does not match the parent plant. Seedlings usually flower only in the second or third year. It is more reliable to buy a named variety and propagate it by division.

Recommended products

• Gramoflor premium perlite, 100 l – for the substrate for alstroemeria in a container, so that the roots do not stand in wet over winter.
• Kapka for Geraniums 500 ml – a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants in containers for summer feeding.
• BAMBOO plant support 120 cm, 3 pcs – for supporting taller varieties that flop in rain.
• Planting trowel – for gentle planting and dividing clumps with brittle roots.

Sources

• Royal Horticultural Society: How to grow alstroemeria
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Peruvian Lily
• DermNet: Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria) dermatitis

Updated: 27 September 2026