This genus is most commonly encountered in gardens as the vigorous, even invasive, Alstoemeria peruviana, the Peruvian lily, with its bright orange flowers, or as the colourful hybrids, invaluable as cut flowers. They typically have an umbel of up to about ten flowers, with two of the six petals strongly streaked with a darker colour, often dark red. The alpine species are shorter and more difficult to grow, but good light and drainage will suit them.

Alstroemeria ligtu hybrids has flowers that are a wide range of mixed colours.