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, rich purple flowers on stems of differing lengths produce a starburst effect up to 30 cm across over a long period from 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 offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation
No pruning required, flowers and seedheads are very ornamental
May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly
May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew