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Herbaceous PerennialHerbs - Culinary

Allium porrum 'Lancaster'

leek 'Lancaster'

A hardy perennial usually grown as an annual vegetable, with thick, upright dark green leaves. This F1 hybrid leek produces a good yield of thick, uniform stems, and shows some resistance to bolting. Ready to harvest from November depending on sowing time

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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
1 year
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Green
Autumn Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
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

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter, preferably in full sun though they will tolerate partial shade. For longer blanched stems, draw up soil around the stems in late summer and early autumn. See leek cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails, leek moth, onion fly, and onion thrips

Diseases

May be susceptible to leek rust, onion white rot, downy mildews, foot and root rots, fungal leaf spots, and smuts

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