Allium schubertii

RHS Plant Profile
Schubert's allium
Plants for pollinators
Bulbs

Bulbous perennial about 60cm tall, producing bright-green, strap-shaped basal leaves in spring, which die back before the flowers appear. Umbels of 50 or more star-shaped, pinky-purple flowers on stems of differing lengths produce a starburst effect up to 30cm across in early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Foliage
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
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
Plant Range
Turkey to Jordan,Libya

How to Grow

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

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring. Alternatively, remove offsets in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required. The seedheads are attractive

Pests

May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly

Diseases

May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew