A clump-forming, bulbous perennial, to 80cm tall, with glossy, dark green strap-shaped leaves. Dense, rounded umbels, up to 15cm in diameter, of purple-violet flowers with prominent white stamens are borne in late spring
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. The foliage is often wilting and turning brown when the flowers appear, and the bulbs can be sited so that adjacent plants grow to conceal the leaves as they die back. See allium cultivation
Propagate by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation
No pruning required, other than to remove old flowered stems and foliage
May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly
May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew