About
A hardy perennial bulb, with grey-green foliage, reaching up to 80cm tall. Flowerheads, up to 10cm across, are borne in late spring and early summer and comprise flat-bottomed, dome-shaped clusters of violet-purple flowers.
About the 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
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeBulbs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Architectural, Gravel garden, Wildlife gardens
FragranceFoliage
Care notes
CultivationEasy to grow in fertile well-drained soil. Add grit when grown in clay soils to improve drainage. See allium cultivation
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by removing offsets in autumn
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to onion white rot and downy mildews