Allium cupuliferum
Bulbous perennial producing broad, strap-shaped mid-green leaves, and straight stems to 50cm tall, bearing heads of pink flowers which are initially densely packed, but become lax when the flower stalks lengthen as the flowers mature, they appear in mid and late summer
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1–2 yearsUltimate spread
0–0.1 metreGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Potentially harmful
- Bulbs may aggravate skin allergies. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- 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
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Easy to grow in full sun and a 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
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring and by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Wildflower meadow
- Wildlife gardens
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required, other than to remove old flowered stems and foliage
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs, snails and allium leaf miner
Diseases
May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.