The Crazy Good $5 Trader Joe’s Deal You Should Get While It Lasts

Breaking floral news! You can get a ridiculous bargain for one of the longest-lasting flowers out there—seriously, alstroemerias stick around nearly forever. According to the Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer, “For a limited time, we are able to offer this 20-stem bunch for the astonishing price of $4.99, only a dollar more than our everyday, 9-stem bunch. But get ’em while they last—ethereal beauty like this doesn’t stick around forever.”

Alstroemerias were one of my most oft-recommended flowers, both when I worked in a Whole Foods floral department and at an ultra-high-end florist. They last so long, they have a delicate beauty, they’re generally among the most affordable stems, and they have a fluffy, leafy quality that is perfect for filling out arrangements. They also come in a wide range of subtle, interesting colors—white, yellow, chartreuse, salmon, burgundy, purple, orange, hot pink, and more—and fascinating combinations thereof. Yet for all that, alstroemerias (or alstros, as we called them in the biz) don’t get enough love—even spellcheck doesn’t acknowledge their existence. Let’s change that.

As mentioned, alstroemerias last a long, long time, but there are a few things you can do to extend their already-impressive lifespan. When you get home, cut the stems with a knife or scissors right before you place them in water. Change the water every day, and recut the stems every couple of days. You can leave the leaves on or strip them off, depending on the look you’re going for, but just be sure the leaves don’t hang into the water.

If you do buy one (or more!) of Trader Joe’s massive bunches, you can give the stems away one at a time à la Lorelai Gilmore, or arrange them in a fabulous floral configuration. The key is to reverse the proportions: use a ton of your affordable alstros, then incorporate a few stems of other types of flowers.

Or, just plonk them all in a vase and call it a day. All for $4.99.