Allium moly

RHS Plant Profile
yellow garlic

Other common names

golden-flowered garlic, lily leek, moly, sorcerer's garlic, yellow onion

Synonyms

Allium moly var. luteum
Allium aureum

Plants for pollinators
Bulbs

Vigorous bulbous perennial producing short-lived, narrow, strap-shaped grey-green basal leaves to 12cm long, usually produced in pairs, and clusters of bright yellow, upward facing star-shaped flowers on stems to 25cm tall, appear in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
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, NW Africa

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun and a 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 seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring and by division of clumps in spring. See bulb propagation

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wildflower meadow
  • City and courtyard 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