Favorite Alliums
by bulbguy
Here's a look at some of my most favorite alliums. Most of these I have in my garden, and they perform year after year- and best of all they are insect and deer resistant!
Allium aflatunense: This species bears countless tiny, purple flowers atop 2-foot-tall stems. ‘Purple Sensation’ (violet-purple) and ‘Lucy Ball’ (dark lilac-purple) are two favored cultivars. Bloom-time: May-July.
Allium christophii: Also known as ‘Star of Persia’, this species displays a 10 inch head of delicate, starry flowers. The soft mauve-blue umbels feature silver markings, giving it a metallic sheen. Many gardeners prize the dried flower heads for winter arrangements. Bloom time: May-June.
Allium ‘Globemaster’: What a show stopper! This spectacular new hybrid was extremely expensive when introduced, but has come down quite a bit in price. Its 10-inch-wide spheres of violet florets perch atop stately 30-inch-tall stems and last for a month. Choose this one to make a statement with an exclamation point in your garden. Bloom time: June-July.
Allium karataviense: This is one of my favorites. The flat silvery-red leaves make this a striking foliage plant, in addition to the fact that it produces a striking, pale-pink flower head that’s 3 inches wide on a 10-inch-tall stem. This variety grows easily in a pot indoors. Bloom time: May-June.
Allium moly: For beautiful spots of color in the rock garden or along the edge of a border, try this yellow beauty. The cheery umbels form on 12-inch-tall stems. Bloom time: May-June.
Allium neapolitanum: This allium rounds out the color range with white, sweetly-scented flowers in a 2- to 3-inch umbel, borne on a 12-inch stem. Bloom time: April-May. Not hardy in cold climates.
Allium schubertii: The fireworks-like variety makes a true spectacle at the front of the garden, as the pale pink umbel extends to 12 inches on an 12- to 24-inch-tall stem. Bloom time: April-May.
Nectaroscordum siculum: A closely-related genus, also known as Sicilian honey garlic, produces graceful, bell-shape flowers. The greenish-white flowers with rose-purple striations transform into beautiful dried seed pods weeks after they finish blooming. Bloom time: May-June.
Tags
spring blooming, cut flowers, Alliums, Bulbs, bulb
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