Allium - "Drumsticks"

Family: Alliaceae

Common Name(s): Garlic, Onion

Native to: Northern hemisphere

Flowering: Summer

Watering: Alliums will respond well to regular watering throughout the growing season

Planting Aspect: Full Sun

Preferred Climate:

 

Temperate, Subtropical, Grassland

Description

Allium - Drumsticks
Drumsticks have unusual, small, round and rose purple flowerheads about the size of a golf ball on 90cm tall stems. This Allium also appreciates watering in summer. This ornamental Allium is an interesting garden plant as an attention getting accent among annuals or in the perennial border. The dried flowers also are excellent for that purpose, but the stalks should be quite firm before cutting.

Allium giganteum
This is one of the most spectacular Alliums with stems growing up to between 1.2 and 1.8 metres in height. Large 10 to 15cm diameter violet to deep purple flowerheads sits atop these stems in mid-summer. The grey-green leaves also are every impressive, growing up to 5cm wide and up to 75cm long. An excellent bedding plant, especially when placed to contrast with summer flowering annuals or perennials. The dried flowers also are excellent for that purpose, but the stalks should be quite firm before cutting.

Allium - Globemaster
Globemaster produces extremely large 25cm diameter balls of pleasantly fragrant purple star shaped flowers on stems up to one metre tall. New blooms constantly replace old for up to a month. Planted in groups, they make a striking focal point in any garden. An excellent bedding plant, especially when placed to contrast with summer flowering annuals or perennials. Globemaster is ideal for containers, mass plantings, borders, and cut flowers. The blooms can also be dried and kept for long lasting floral arrangements.

Allium - Lavender Showers
Lavender Showers is a lovely Allium with lavender pink, starry, upward facing flowers on 15 to 20cm stems and like most Alliums is quite frost hardy. Ornamental Alliums are interesting garden plants. They are attention getting accents among annuals or in the perennial border. The flower heads are unusual and attractive in arrangements. The dried flowers also are excellent for that purpose, but the stalks should be quite firm before cutting.

Allium - Shubertii
Aptly named the ‘Fireworks Flower’ due to its appearance as a firework sparkler, schubertii has large global flowerheads up to 30cm across on straight 60cm tall stems. The globes consist of up to 200 florets which are rose-red coloured and mounted on long pedicels of varying length, hence giving the whole flower head its striking impression. This ornamental Allium is an interesting garden plant as an attention getting accent among annuals or in the perennial border. The flowers also are excellent for drying and used in floral arrangements.

Cultivation

Alliums prefer an open, sunny position in fertile, well draining, weed free soil. Prepare the growing site by digging over the soil and adding a good handful of blood and bone, rich compost or well decayed animal manure prior to planting out. Feed every spring as new growth is made. Plants will respond well to regular applications of liquid fertiliser and watering throughout the growing season. Protection is required from pest and disease enemies such as onion fly, stem eelworm, rust and onion white rot.