Allium vineale
wild onion
A bulbous perennial to 60cm tall, with chive-like, hollow, tubular leaves and flowerheads appearing in June. All parts of the plant smell of garlic. Flowerheads are initally covered by a papery sheath and may contain a few pink flowers but mostly comprise green to purplish bulbils, which enable the plant to spread rapidly. Native to much of England, Wales and southern Scotland, growing in waste places and fields
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green Grey Silver | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink | Green Grey Silver | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical 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
- Europe, N Africa, W Asia
How to grow
Cultivation
Native to much of England, Wales and southern Scotland, growing in waste places, summer-dry grassland, hedgerows and roadsides. See wild garlics for more information
Propagation
Propagate by bulbils
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Wildflower meadow
- Wildlife gardens
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
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