If you’re looking for something a little different, this member of the onion family won’t disappoint. There are about thirty cultivars to choose from, all striking. Alliums are easy to grow and pack a lot of punch for a bulb. Though still not very well known, they are steadily gaining in popularity, Once you have them, you’ll wonder how you did without them for so long.
At the end of this article is a summary profile chart.
I must confess that other than chives, the more ornamental alliums were new to me too, until just recently. But wow do I love them now. When the setting sun backlights the white cultivar Mount Everest, it’s as if my garden is full of floating paper lanterns. Beguiling!
Alliums are striking mostly because of their novel form. With their ball-shaped flower heads held erect on stiff bare stems, they look like tethered balloons. One, Schubertii, resembles a starburst or a child’s Fourth of July sparkler. For this reason, alliums can easily come to dominate or overwhelm a garden if not placed carefully. Indeed, not every garden can handle them. But if you have the space, they can be magical.
You can try placing them with an eye toward creating several groupings. Another idea is to “scatter” them randomly, as if they self-seeded. If they’re especially tall, a spot toward the back of a border or in a meadow should work.
Avoid singles without at least a few nearby, as tall alliums can look forlorn isolated all by themselves. The smaller cultivars work well massed along edges or along the front of a border. I haven’t grown the smaller yellow and blue varieties, so I can’t speak for them.
Pros: Alliums come in a range of sizes and colors, with strong purples predominating. There are also white, blue, and yellow cultivars available. Some are tall and others diminutive. A few have softball-sized or larger flower heads. All are a snap to grow, requiring just sun or part sun, adequate water and free-draining soil. If you can grow chives and onions, you can grow alliums.
Several like the “drumstick” allium (A. sphaerocephalon) and Millenium bloom later in the season, carrying the show well into summer. Because the tallest forms are so architectural they instantly enliven meadows and flowerbeds alike. They look great paired with camassia and astilbes for instance, or among woodland plantings.
Another bonus: Alliums are absolutely deer-proof!
Cons: Alliums’ biggest drawback is their early-to-fade foliage. Most varieties feature a basal rosette of strappy leaves which frequently yellows early. Even before they flower, the foliage may start to decline. I plant mine in groundcover or among dense perennials to hide it.
A few cultivars get super huge, such as Globemaster (10″ flower heads!). I would only plant these monsters if you have plenty of space or perhaps in a large container as a focal point on the patio. Their sheer mass makes them unwieldy in smaller landscapes, so keep that in mind.
Unfortunately, alliums in general are not easy to find at nurseries because they are bulbs. But several mail order houses carry a good variety of stock. You’ll want to peruse all the varieties on offer before ordering.
Recommended Options
Mount Everest can’t be beat for its versatility and strong form. This variety reproduces very slowly from the bulb, if at all; there’s no reseeding. Nestle it among other perennials for years of hands-off care.
Purple Sensation is sized just right for most flowerbeds and the color is a pleasing purple. This cultivar may spread over time, but not wildly.
Schubertii is absolutely a first-rate novelty plant, but that’s its sole charm. It grows quite low to the ground, making it hard to place among companion plantings. A handful will surely enliven the conversation but I would avoid too many, as their spikey forms can become a distraction.
Likewise, save drumstick alliums for naturalizing and informal areas, as they can be prolific spreaders, looking and acting much like wild garlic. You’ll want them among other “covering” perennials so their straggly, weedy presence is minimized. But they are so cute in bloom!
Millenium is a petite, well-behaved choice for late summer color. The pink-mauve flowers open late July through August, and the neat, liriope-like foliage stays lush even after bloom. It stays rather short, about 12″ high, so put it in a prominent spot where it can be appreciated.
All in all, alliums pack a lot of return into a bulb. Just remember, by midsummer most of them will be entirely dormant, so keep track of where you planted them. You can leave the flower stalks standing for some time, as the drying seed heads stay attractive for at least a month after the flowers fade. They are also fabulous in dried arrangements.
Plant in fall for the following year’s bloom.
