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

Allium carolinianum
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

Bulbous perennial with flat, strap-shaped mid-green leaves and bearing densely packed spherical heads of pale red, purple-red or white flowers on straight stems to 40cm tall, in late spring and early summer

Synonyms
Allium blandum
Allium polyphyllum

Join the RHS

Become an RHS Member today and save 25% on your first year

Join now
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
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Red Purple White Green
Summer Red Purple White Green
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
TOXIC to pets - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
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

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. See allium cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • 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

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.