About
Allium 'Purple Rain' is a bulbous perennial that reaches a height of approximately 90 cm. It features long, green, strap-shaped leaves that wither away before the airy flowerheads emerge. These flowerheads, measuring up to 15 cm in diameter, display a vibrant pinkish-purple color and bloom in early summer.
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
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bulbs
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden
- Fragrance
- Foliage
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in full sun and fertile well-drained soil. It is best to grow in containers where garden soil is heavy clay and prone to saturation over winter. See allium cultivation
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to onion fly and allium leaf miner
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to onion white rot and onion downy mildew