Ornamental Allium bulbs such as ‘globemaster’, gladiator’ and ‘giganteum’ are easy care, sun loving plants, easy to grow. These are a bulb that have low water requirements and with large flower heads (see picture right) are a colourful addition to the garden border.
Alliums work well in a cottage style garden, you can also mass plant them in containers for a colourful display in a sunny courtyard.
Why not try varieties such as gladiator, molly, siculum, murrayanum or sphaerocephalon.
Allium drumstick is a popular small upright allium. Allium bulbs for sale from our listed mail nurseries often come with cultural notes and growing tips.
How to Grow Ornamental Alliums
Alliums are related to onions and garlic, alliums are the ‘ornamental’ side of the family. Alliums are tough, are reasonably drought tolerant and will cope with poor soil.
Alliums prefer a sunny position in a well drained soil. Alliums will do well in a large deep pot or container.
Plant alliums in autumn for great display the following summer.
Allium Care Summary
- All Alliums like a position in full sun and a free draining soil.
- Allium bulbs should be planted at around 6 cm deep. In the garden plant them 8 cm apart.
- Alliums require little water once established. The do deep some water in spring, so in a dry spring water once every week.
- They require very little fertiliser. Fertilise once a year in late winter to spring with a general purpose slow release fertiliser.
- Alliums will need to be divided as they become crowded. Usually every 5 years.
- You can remove old dead foliage to tidy up in winter.
Ornamental Allium species include:
- A. cristophii with its large purple flower heads to 20cm (8 inches) across is a stunning plant in the border during early summer.
- A. beesianum (rare) is from China and is one of the few blue flowered alliums
- A. Gooddingii is from the USA and is a Pink Flowering species
- A. siculum (Nectaroscordum siculum) with its nodding pink bell like flowers is from Sicily
- Other Alliums to consider include :
A. ampeloprasum, A. cernuum, A. coeruleum, A. falcifolium, A. oleraceum, A. schubertii, A. sphaerocephalon, A. suworowii and A. victorilais - A. giganteum is a large flowering variety
- A. ‘Molly’, Allium Globemaster, and Allium Drumsticks.
- A. acuminatum,
- A. sphaerocephalon and
- The white flowered Allium neapolitanum
Alliums used for culinary purposes include :
- A. cepa – onions
- A. oschaninii – shallots
- A. ampeloprasum – leeks
- A. ascalonicums – scallions
- A. sativum – garlic
- A. schoenoprasum – chive
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Allium Bulbs are available for sale online from the following participating nurseries
52 Rodd St Canowindra NSW 2804
An online nursery specialising in drought and frost tolerant perennials and fragrant, edible and herbs.
www.perennialle.com.au
2 Jacksons Hill Rd, Menzies Creek VIC 3159
Hundreds of different varieties of daffodils as well as other beautiful spring & autumn flowering bulbs for home gardeners. Free colour catalogues available. Tulips, Daffodils,Alliums, Freesias, Iris and many other bulbs.
www.daffodilbulbs.com.au
P.O. Box 589 Mowbray Heights Tasmania 7248
Mail order: Suppling a range of bulbs and pere nnial plants suitable for pots and troughs. Includes Alliums
www.raithbyplants.com.au
PO Box 7040 Leura NSW 2780
Rare woodland plants, Trilliums Epimediums, Arisaemas, plus much more.www.lynnsrareplants.com.au