Allium

RHS Genus Guide

Alliums include many familiar edible plants such as onions, leeks and garlic as well as attractive flowering types. The ornamental types are a great addition to the garden with their showy flowerheads in shades of blue, purple, white and pink, bringing globes of colour in spring and early summer. They are good cut flowers and the dried flowerheads give a long lasting display.

Common name: Ornamental onion

RHS/Joanna Kossak

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How to grow alliums

RHS Recommended

Allium

allium 'Globemaster'

Allium 'Globemaster'

allium 'Globemaster'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

allium 'Beau Regard'

Allium 'Beau Regard'

allium 'Beau Regard'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

round-headed leek

Allium sphaerocephalon

round-headed leek

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

allium 'Gladiator'

Allium 'Gladiator'

allium 'Gladiator'

Height: 1–1.5 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

Dutch garlic

Allium hollandicum

Dutch garlic

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

star of Persia

Allium cristophii

star of Persia

Height: 0.1–0.5 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

Lombardy garlic

Allium insubricum

Lombardy garlic

Height: 0.1–0.5 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

chives

Allium schoenoprasum

chives

Height: 0.1–0.5 metres
Width: 0–0.1 metre

Dutch garlic 'Purple Sensation'

Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'

Dutch garlic 'Purple Sensation'

Height: 0.5–1 metres
Width: 0.1–0.5 metres

Award of Garden Merit

Plants for pollinators