Allium scorodoprasum
sand leek
A bulbous perennial about 50cm tall, bearing narrow, grassy mid-green leaves, dying back at flowering time. Flower umbels open in early summer, each purple flower is held on a long wiry stem, and the umbels develop bulbils at their base
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 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 | Purple | Green | ||
Autumn | ||||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Native to the UK
- Yes
- 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
- E Europe, Caucasus, Turkey, N Iran
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. Easily spread by bulbils and has the potential to become a nuisance without careful cultivation. See allium cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by seed when just ripe or in spring; or 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
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildflower meadow
- Wildlife gardens
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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