Alstroemeria Majestic Brissac

Alstroemeria Majestics Brissac, with its flamboyant vermilion-red flowers speckled with yellow, is part of a series of vigorous and hardy Inca lilies, tall and highly floriferous, with long flower stems perfect for cut flowers. It is a perennial plant that reappears year after year if cared for with rich and well-draining soil and regular watering during dry periods. You can plant it in full sun or partial shade, in a bed protected from the wind that could bend the stems.

Alstroemerias, belonging to the Alstroemeriaceae family, are perennial plants with tuberous roots native to South America. The hardiest ones, like A. aurantiaca, are native to the Chilean Andes and Patagonia. Sometimes slow to establish, Inca lilies can disappear or... become invasive! Quirky but fantastic plants, very sensitive to growing conditions, they are 'indestructible' once you find the right spot for them. Horticulturists have been working for a few years to develop more reliable and resistant varieties for our wet and cold winters.  The Majestics series was developed near Angers. It gathers tall hybrids that can withstand short frosts around -15°C (5°F) if the roots are protected from moisture.

Alstroemeria 'Majestics Brissac' quickly forms dense clumps, starting in spring, with numerous leafy stems reaching about 85cm (34in) in height when in bloom, with a similar spread. The flowering takes place from June to October, continuously if the soil remains moist. Each flower stem bears several 5-6cm (2in) flowers, gathered in terminal umbels. They consist of 3 small central petals vermilion-red with yellow spots, speckled with brown, surrounded by 3 slightly wider petals of the same red-orange. The foliage is abundant, arranged along the stems. The leaves are dark greenish-blue. The foliage and stems disappear in winter, leaving only the slightly creeping stump with fleshy roots underground. The roots are sensitive to the shock of transplantation, especially in older plants.

Alstroemeria 'Brissac' is a beautiful border plant with remarkably coloured flowers that last a long time in a vase, up to 2 weeks if you remember to change the water daily and trim the stems occasionally. When well established, this exuberant plant offers a magnificent display. In the garden, Alstroemeria Majestics pairs well, for example, with smaller agapanthus varieties like Golden Drop or Silver Moon. It can also be combined with complementary grasses; Stipa, small Miscanthus or Muhlenbergia capillaris will accompany its flowering with their foliage and delicate blooms. In a large flower pot, associate this colourful variety with blue lobelias or Diamond Frost Euphorbia, for example.