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Allium tuberosum Cliffs of Dover ('Ifalcod')

Chinese chives [Cliffs of Dover]

A fast-growing bulbous perennial about 50cm tall, with edible, mid-green linear leaves, and star-shaped fragrant white flowers in rounded clusters 5cm across, produced on stems from late summer to autumn; ideal for a herb garden or herbaceous border

Synonyms

Allium tuberosum 'Ifalcod'
Allium 'Cliffs of Dover'

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

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)

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: Trade

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile moisture retentive well-drained soil in full sun. See chive cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division of clumps in early spring or remove offsets in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds
Garden edging

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Susceptible to slugs, snails, allium leaf mining fly and onion fly but usually trouble free in the border

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to onion white rot and downy mildews

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