Alstroemeria Majestic Layon

The Alstroemeria Majestic 'Layon' is a vigorous, particularly floriferous, and hardy Inca lily, with a beautiful stature, whose long floral stems are perfect for cut flowers. This delightful variety bears numerous flowers in two shades of yellow, striped with brown and touched with salmon. It is a perennial plant that enhances year after year if care is taken to provide it with rich, well-drained soil and regular watering during dry periods. You can place it in full sun or partial shade, in a bed sheltered from the wind that could cause the stems to bend. 

The Alstroemeria, belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, are perennial plants with tuberous roots native to South America. The hardiest, like A. aurantiaca, are native to the Chilean Andes and Patagonia. Sometimes slow to establish, Inca lilies can disappear or ... become invasive! Eccentric but fantastic plants, very sensitive to growing conditions, they are "indestructible" when 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 Majestic series was developed near Angers. It brings together tall hybrids that can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C if care is taken to protect the base from moisture.

The 'Majestic Layon' alstroemeria quickly forms dense clumps, starting in spring, with numerous leafy stems reaching about 80 cm (32in) in height when flowering, with a similar spread. The flowering takes place from June to October, continuously if the soil remains moist. Each floral stem bears several 5-6 cm (2in) flowers, gathered in terminal umbels. They consist of 3 small central petals, brightly yellow with brown stripes, surrounded by 3 slightly wider petals, a paler yellow, adorned with salmon pink spots. The abundant foliage is arranged along the stems. The leaves are dark greenish-blue in colour. The foliage and stems disappear in winter, leaving only the slightly trailing base with fleshy roots underground. The base is sensitive to the shock of transplantation, especially in older plants.

The 'Layon' Alstroemeria is a beautiful bedding plant with exotic charm, and its flowers last a long time in a vase, up to 2 weeks if you take care to change the water every day and trim the stems occasionally. When well-established, this exuberant plant offers a magnificent spectacle. In the garden, the Alstroemeria Majestic pairs well, for example, with smaller-sized agapanthus ('Golden Drop', 'Silver Moon'). It can also be combined with grasses, which complement each other; 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.