Allium oreophilum
pink lily leek
A compact, hardy bulb growing to a height and spread of up to 10cm. It has narrow, semi-erect, grey-green leaves and in late spring and early summer loose, domed heads of up to ten pink-purple flowers
Other common names
mountain loverSynonyms
Allium platystemonAllium ostrowskianum
Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cmTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0–0.1 metreGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink Purple | Green Grey Silver | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink Purple | Green Grey Silver | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- 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
- Turkestan, Caucasus, C Asia
How to grow
Cultivation
Easy to grow in fertile well-drained soil. Add grit when grown in clay soils to improve drainage. See allium cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring. Alternatively, remove offsets in autumn
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Coastal
- Gravel garden
- Patio and container plants
- Rock garden
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest free
Diseases
Onion white rot and a downy mildew may occur
Get involved
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