About

Allium cepa (Aggregatum Group) 'Red Gourmet' PBR is a perennial bulb cultivated for its edible qualities. It features erect, bluish-green foliage. The bulbs are small, slightly flattened, and rounded, exhibiting a white interior with a pink tint, all encased in a reddish-brown skin. Harvesting typically occurs in the autumn.

About the genus

Allium consists of bulbous herbaceous perennials characterized by a pronounced onion or garlic aroma. They feature linear, strap-like, or cylindrical leaves that arise from the base. The flowers, which can be star-shaped or bell-shaped, are arranged in an umbel atop a stem that lacks leaves.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Well-drained
Aspect
South-facing, West-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H3

Plant details

Plant type
Herbs - Culinary, Bulbs
Habit
Clump forming
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
0.1-0.5 metres
Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height
1-2 years
Suggested uses
City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in free-draining, fertile soil in full sun. Keep well watered in dry periods but stop watering when bulbs become swollen
Pruning
Remove any flowerheads that appear. Harvest when leaves fade to yellow and droop
Propagation
Propagate by seed or by onion sets. See how to grow: onions or sowing vegetable seeds
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to stem and bulb eelworm, leek moth and onion fly
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to rusts. Good mildew resistance