Allium atropurpureum
very-dark purple allium
A hardy perennial bulb, up to 60cm tall, with strap-shaped green leaves. Deep purple-red flowers, packed into a half-sphere shape up to 5cm across, are borne on upright stems in late spring and early summer
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 | Purple | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Purple | Green | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- 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
- Hungary to Turkey
How to grow
Cultivation
Easy to grow in fertile well-drained soil. 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. Alternatively, remove offsets in autumn
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Architectural
- Cottage and informal garden
- Gravel garden
- City and courtyard gardens
- 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.