Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 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 | ||||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- 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
- Europe, North Africa and Middle East
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 for further advice
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
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Gravel garden
- Mediterranean climate plants
- Prairie planting
- Wildflower meadow
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to onion white rot and a 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.