Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Allium virgunculae
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

A compact, clump-forming, bulbous perennial to 25cm tall with tufts of thread-like leaves to 1mm wide. Up to twelve star-shaped, pink-purple flowers are borne in loose umbels in summer

Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
1–2 years
Ultimate spread
0–0.1 metre
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Pink Purple Green
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
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
Japan

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in reasonably fertile well-drained soil with full sun at the front of the border. Further allium cultivation advice

Propagation

Divide clumps in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Rock garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to onion fly

Diseases

May be susceptible to onion white rot and downy mildew and occasionally leek rust

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.