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
0.5-1 metres
0.1-0.5 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
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
Propagate by seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring. Alternatively, remove offsets in autumn
No pruning required. The seedheads are attractive
May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly
May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew
