Alstroemeria Duchesses d'Anjou Aliénor

Alstroemeria Duchesses d'Anjou 'Alienor' is part of an excellent series of Peruvian lilies with a compact habit and abundant and prolonged flowering. It is perfectly suited for ornamental beds and flower pots. This early and flamboyant variety produces large flowers in a bright salmon-orange colour, variegated with yellow and streaked with brown. This alstroemeria can withstand winter in the ground in regions that are not too cold, under a protective mulch. Its flowers, borne on thick and sturdy stems, are perfect for bouquets.

Alstroemeria Duchesses d'Anjou 'Alienor' is a recent horticultural variety, obtained near Angers. All modern Peruvian lilies are hybrids of several tuberous species native to South America, particularly the Chilean Andes. These high-altitude plants belong to the Alstroemeriaceae family. They are somewhat hardy, and appreciate moist but well-drained soils in lightly wooded areas. They are slow to establish. Depending on growing conditions, they will either die or become invasive! They are almost indestructible once you have found the right spot for them.

Like all plants in the series, Alstroemeria Duchesses d'Anjou 'Alienor' is easy to cultivate in good potting soil that remains moist. The plant quickly forms dense and rounded clumps with leafy stems not exceeding 35cm (14in) in height when flowering, with a spread of 30 to 35cm (12 to 14in). Flowering occurs from May to October. The flowers are gathered in terminal umbels. They consist of 3 narrow central petals, with a salmon-orange background and golden yellow spots and brown streaks. They are surrounded by 3 broader petals of the same orange. The foliage is arranged on the upper part of the stems. The leaves are dark green with a slight bluish tint. The plant disappears in winter, leaving only the trailing stump with fleshy roots underground. The roots are sensitive to transplantation shock, especially in older plants. It can withstand temperatures down to -7°C (19.4°F).

Alstroemeria Duchesses d'Anjou 'Alienor' is perfect for brightening up flower beds and planters for weeks on end. On a patio or balcony, it forms a bouquet of flowers with exotic charm that rivals balcony geraniums in brilliance. In flower beds, this plant will go well, for example, with other Duchesses d'Anjou varieties, or with complementary grasses. Stipa, small miscanthus, and Muhlenbergia capillaris will accompany its autumn colours with their lush foliage and magnificent late-season blooms. You can also plant blue lobelias at its base, or Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, which boasts intense blue flowers and reddish foliage in October.