Allium ampeloprasum
Levant garlic
Blooms in summer with flower buds held in papery capsules opening to spherical umbels of small, tightly-packed, pale purple flowers on stems to a height of around 1m. Wide blade-like grey-green leaves
Other common names
blue leekgreat-headed garlic
see morekurrat
pearl onion
vine leek
wild leek
cenhinen wllt
Synonyms
Allium halleriAllium porrum subsp. euampeloprasum
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
1–2 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 | ||||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
North–facing or West–facing or South–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- Yes
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- 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
Correct
- Plant range
- S. Europe, Caucasus, Iran, Turkey, N. Africa
How to grow
Cultivation
Easy to grow wild leek in fertile well-drained soil in full sun. Add grit when grown in clay soils to improve drainage. See allium cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildflower meadow
- Wildlife gardens
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Onion white rot and a downy mildew may occur
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.