Allium lusitanicum

RHS Plant Profile

Portuguese allium

Synonyms

Allium 'Summer Beauty', Allium angulosum 'Summer Beauty', Allium fallax, Allium fallax subsp. montanum, Allium montanum F.W. Schmidt non Schrank., Allium montanum Schmidt, Allium senescens 'Summer Beauty', Allium senescens subsp. montanum, Allium serotinum, Allium tanguticum 'Summer Beauty'

Bulbs

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A bulbous perennial to around 30cm tall, forming a clump of slender, strap-shaped, onion-scented mid-green leaves. Rounded heads of pale purple flowers appear in mid to late summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0-0.1 metre
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

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: Europe

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. Self-seeds freely. See allium cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed when just ripe or in spring; or propagate by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation. Deadhead regularly if you do not wish for it to self-seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants
Prairie planting
Rock garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, other than to remove old flowered stems and foliage

Pests

May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly

Diseases

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