Late April

Alliums- The “I Wish I had Planted Those” Plants

For decades, every time I saw Alliums in a gardening magazine I would say, “ Wow! I wish I had planted those! “ Repeatedly in the fall I forgot to include allium bulbs into my garden. I focused on the more well-known daffodils, tulips and crocus bulbs. This past fall, however I remenbered!

These stunning purple, light blue, white, pink and even dark red flowering ball shapes thrive in North America, Asia and Europe. Of 100 species there is only one that is Native to Virginia. It is called Praire onion or Allium cernuum pictured below.

These bulb/flowers need very little care. They are drought tolerant and generally disease resistant. Deer and rodents don’t like them because of the onion smell they can exude. Alliums come back year after year.

Planting Allium

Plant allium bulbs in well drained soil and full sun if you can. They do not like soggy soil. They tolerate shade but as you know, anything planted in shade when they like sun may not have as big a flower or as high a stem.

Dig about 4- 8” deep about 6-8” apart for that powerful look and multiple spots of color. Be sure you plant the bulb with the pointed top up or else, as my mother loved to say, “They will grow to China.”

Below is the allium bloom just before opening. What’s not to love?

Design Options

Allium is striking when planted ‘en mass’ throughout a garden bed. Placement can be a big group of a dozen or more.

Smaller numbers like 3’s and 5’s and 2’s planted in the midst other perennials draw the eye onward through a bed when finding the even geometric bloom.

A straight row can be equally stunning. The trick here is to plant enough to make a big show.

Allium flowers last from 2 – 4 weeks. They show themselves anytime from late spring to early summer in Virginia and die back by early summer. You won’t have the flower blocking other perennials later in the year.

Cook it Up!

I have heard them referred to as a powerhouse plant curing ear aches, gastrointestinal disease, parasite infections and fevers. You can chop the root up for salads or use to replace a garlic /onion ingredient. Pictured below is a healthy looking allium and pork soup.

A few allium are poisonous but not all. It is warned that the bulb can have bad side effects on people such as bad breath and blood clots.

Dogs can get very sick if they eat enough of the bulb. The pet-eating-poison-plant issue knocks a lot of plants we want out of the running. I did plant allium though. I think the oniony smell of the allium keeps my labs away as it does deer and mice. Besides my dogs are so spoiled with American dog-food cuisine and treats, I think they turn their nose up at anything that doesn’t include chicken, liver or fish.

Christie lives in Manakin Sabot , Virginia where she manages a 3 acre garden. Her blogs are written from her 35 years as private and professional gardener .