Allium carinatum subsp. pulchellum
keeled garlic
Rapidly clump-forming, bulbous perennial to 60cm in height, almost evergreen, with narrow leaves on the lower part of the stem, the new leaves produced with the rich purple, bell-shaped flowers that are borne in dense, elongated umbels, during midsummer
Synonyms
Allium cirrhosumAllium flexum var. capsuliferum
see moreAllium pulchellum
Allium flavum var. purpurascens
Allium coloratum
Allium flavum var. pulchellum
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Purple | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Semi evergreen or Evergreen
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Potentially harmful
- TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
- Genus
Allium are bulbous herbaceous perennials with a strong onion or garlic scent, linear, strap-shaped or cylindrical basal leaves and star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers in an umbel on a leafless stem
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full sun and fertile well-drained soil. It is best to grow in containers where garden soil is heavy clay and prone to saturation over winter. Rapidly forms clumps but is not a nuisance. See allium cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Gravel garden
- Patio and container plants
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required, other than to remove old flowered stems and foliage
Pests
May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly
Diseases
May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.