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Bulbs

Allium paradoxum

few-flowered garlic

Bulbous perennial to about 50cm in height, with garlic scented, bright green, long, thin leaves to 40cm. Tiny white flowers are produced during early to late spring on upright stems to 50cm long and are quickly replaced by clusters of small bulbils; quickly spreading, it may become a nuisance if conditions are favourable. This plant is listed on Schedule 9 of the UK Wildlife & Countryside Act as an invasive non-native species

Other common names

few-flowered leek
quaint garlic

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: 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

How to grow

Cultivation

This plant is listed on Schedule 9 of the UK Wildlife & Countryside Act as an invasive non-native species. Although not banned from sale, it is an offence to plant or cause these to grow in the wild IN ENGLAND WALES, NORTHERN IRELAND and the REPUBLIC OF IRELAND. Gardeners possessing them should undertake measures to control them. See RHS advice on invasive non-native species for further information

Propagation

Please see cultivation notes

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Pests

May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly

Diseases

May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew

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