Flower symbolism is there to help us determine the right kind of bouquet to gift to the people we love, but also to teach us more about the history and symbolic value of a certain flower to humans.
Flower symbolism was something that was valuable to ancient cultures just as much as it is valuable to us today. No wedding ceremony, sacred ritual or any other special occasion couldn’t pass without flowers. They were used to represent our emotions and to make our lives more special and beautiful.
Every flower has its own symbolic value and meaning that we need to understand before we pick the right flower sort for the person we love. Even without gifting a flower to someone, it is interesting to see how different cultures saw certain flower sorts and what kind of magical folk stories lie behind a certain flower sort.
In this text, we will explore the hidden, symbolic world of the Alstroemeria flower also known as the Peruvian lily or the Lily of the Incas.
Meaning of the Alstroemeria flower
Every flower has its own symbolic meanin and meaning in general, that is hidden and not always known to people. Alstroemeria is no different and there are several meanings linked to this gorgeous flower. These hidden meanings are:
- Devotion
- Support
- Following your dream
- Survival
- Friendship
Support – Alstroemeria flower is a symbol of support, which means this is a perfect gift for someone who is going through some rough moments in life. If this person needs your love and support to go through some difficulties, this is the flower you want to gift to that person if you want to make him or her feel better.
Devotion – Another meaning behind the Alstroemeria flower is devotion. This flower can be a perfect gift to anyone you love and find to be an important part of your life.
Following your dreams – If you want to give someone support when this person is starting a new chapter of their life, this is the perfect flower to send exactly this message.
Survival – Alstroemeria flower is also a symbol of surviving and overcoming difficulties in life. Alstroemeria reminds us to always be strong and to overcome every obstacle with our head up high and without fear of the future.
Friendship – Alstroemeria flower is the perfect gift for a friend, but with the right flower color you can even pass this flower as a Valentine’s Day gift. But, for the most part, this gorgeous flower is going to send a friendly message to anyone you gift it too.
Alstroemeria – Etymological meaning
The Alstroemeria flower got its name after the botanist who discovered it. The name of this botanist was Claus von Alstromer. Claus was not just a regular botanist, he was a Swedish baron who was the first person ever to notice and write about this beautiful flower sort.
Alstroemeria – Symbolism
Alstroemeria flower originally grows in Peru, but from there it has spread all over the globe and we were all able to enjoy its beauty since then. Becaus it originated in Peru, the Victorians never had the chanc to include this flower to their books and flower almanacs. This was, of course, no obstacle for those who love flowers truly and who were able to find deeper symbolism in the Alstroemeria flower.
This beautiful flower is a symbol of friendship and mutual connection between two people. This flower can be a great gift for both your friends and for your partner, because it symbolizes something much stronger and much greater than just passion. This gorgeous flower is a symbol of eternal connection between two people that doesn’t have to be limited by romance. Some even believe that the Alstroemeria flower has the ability to attract new people into your life who are going to become your close friends.
Alstroemeria – Color meaning
Color of the flower can have a significant importance on the flower’s symbolic meaning. Sometimes a color can take away from the symbolic meaning of a flower and in other cases it can add up to it.
Alstroemeria flowers come in several different colors. They are:
White
- Color white in general is a symbol of purity and spirituality. This flower color can be gifted to almost anyone, but it is also a beautiful color to choose for weddings and other ceremonies. White Alstroemeria flower is a symbol of pure friendship and love between two people.
Yellow
- Yellow Alstroemeria is a symbol of energy, happiness, optimism and joy. This gorgeous flower can be a perfect decorative piece in your home, where it will exude positive energy and optimism to the rest of the house.
Pink
- Color pink is the color of romance, love and gentle feelings. This flower color is perfect for our partners and the people we love in a romantic way, and we want them to know that.
Orange
- Orange symbolizes positive energy and passion. Orange Alstroemeria is going to bring some freshness and positivity into your home but it can also awaken those feelings in a person, if we decide to gift that person a bouquet of orange Alstroemerias.
Red
- Red is a symbol of love, passion and romance. It is needless to say that red flowers are a perfect gift for our partners, and the message they are going to receive is the one of love and faithfulness.
Purple
- Color purple is meant for the people who are unique and who have a dose of elegant and graceful in them. Color purple is also a symbol of nobility, beauty and royalty.
Alstroemeria – Botanical facts and characteristics
Alstroemeria is a genus of tuberous perennial garden plants, known by the names Peruvian lily, Inca lily, wild orchids. During the summer, the top of the stem becomes airy, and there are numerous gentle lustrous flowers on it. Because of the flowers of various colors it looks interesting in the garden or in the pots on the terrace and balcony. As cut flowers they are often are used for flower arrangements.
Alstroemeria genus belongs to the family of Alstroemeriaceae, and its name was given by the Swedish baron Klaus Alstromer, a close friend of botanist Karl Linea, who first discovered the plants of this genus in Chile. About 50 species found on the slopes and grasslands of the cold mountain regions of South America are among this species. Today there are plenty of cultivars and hybrids.
Depending on the type of Alstroemeria it can grow to a height of 15 to 110 centimeters. The tubers, like rhizomes, spread underground and create a root. The leaves are alternately spiral, cracked, light green.
Alstroemeria mainly flourishes from June to August, and some varieties even in autumn. The flowers can be of various shapes, colors and are collected in the shingles of shield blooms with many peaks. They can be in many shades of red, orange, yellow, purple, pink, green and white, shaded with darker colors or striped. Fruits are capsules, and their seeds are round, brown in color.
Alstroemeria will grow and bloom until late in the year in warmer climates or climates with the right conditions. In those borderline areas, you can apply some covers to protect the plants during the winter.
In really cold reas it is hard for Alstroemeria to survive. If the temeprature gos below 23F they will suffer damage.
Once in a while in winter give a light amount of water to your Alstroemerias. They will show leaves before they continue to grow and flourish in the spring of next year. If you can, store your Alstroemerias over winter in a temperature ranging from 35 to 41F (2-5 ° C). Keep them in a slightly damp soil mix for that time.
Be careful when lifting roots because they are very fragile and can be damaged if not handled carefully. Ocasinally check the tubers during the winter to be sure they are not shrivelling or threshing. If you notice this, just throw them out.
It is not a good idea to try to reproduce Alstroemeria because of the grace and the difficulty of keeping it alive during the process. This can be done, but the results can not be certain and are very unpredictable.
In addition to digging roots in the fall and storing them, the other option is to wait until the flowers are completely dried and then collect them at that time. You can plant them in the preparation pot for the next year, or sow them directly to the ground.
As you can see, it’s not so hard to successfully grow beautiful Alstroemeria. It’s definetely hard to beat the beauty, the longevity in bloom and the versatility of this flower. In the soil and in the containers, they are a fantastic addition to any yard, garden or home.
Add to how big they look like cut flowers, and you have a beautiful flower you can spread everywhere. Friends and family will appreciate a nice color display, if you decide to gift them this gorgeous flower.
Alstroemeria – Secret message
Every flower hides a message that is meant just for us. This message needs to be deciphered and we need to understand it before we decide on giving someone a certain flower. The message we are sending by a certain flower sort is something that needs to be handled with care, especially if we don’t want to offend the person to whom we are gifting these flowers.
The Alstroemeria flower is sending you a message of friendship and support, and it represents a perfect gift for a friend. This gorgeous flower is there to remind our friends that we are thinking about them and that their presence in our life is very valuable.
