Allium oreophilum
pink lily leek
Compact bulbous perennial growing to a height and spread of 20cm. It has narrow, mid-green leaves to 15cm long, and in early summer bears loose, domed heads of up to ten bright pink-purple flowers, the tepals with a darker mid-rib
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1–2 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Green | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Pink Purple | Green | ||
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
- 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
- Turkestan, Caucasus, C Asia
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 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
- 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
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