Allium

The genus Allium contains approximately 850 species, and it is the "type" for the family Alliaceae, although once considered part of Liliaceae and Amaryllidaceae. The genus is perhaps best known from the handful of species that make up the edible food crops we're all familiar with, e.g. onions (Allium cepa), leeks (Allium ampeloprasum), garlic (Allium sativum), scallion (Allium fistulosum relative), and chives (Allium schoenoprasum); but many more species are known for their ornamental value and are thus dubbed the "ornamental onions". Alliums are hardy perennials, having true bulbs, or less-developed vestigial bulbs attached to rhizomes, the latter known as rhizomatous onions. Many species require a winter dormancy and chill whereas other species such as those occurring in a mediterranean climate require a dry summer dormancy. The center of Allium diversity is in the Mediterranean/Middle East region, eastern Asia and North America. In North America, the center of diversity lies in western Texas and the California Floristic Province. There are about a hundred species and varieties that occur in North America.

Allium was the subject of the Pacific Bulb Society's topic of the week in March 2003. Click on Introduction to read Mark McDonough's introduction and on Follow-ups from Mark to read some of his other contributions that week. One useful book for this genus is Davies, 1992 described in References.

Allium "Garden View" 1 - In July the allium garden is at its peak with numerous flowering species. In this view there's a drift of rosy-purple Allium cernuum in the background, an upright clump of A. plummerae with white flowers just starting to open, and in the foreground on the left, various forms of Allium flavum ssp. tauricum in pink and tan colors, with the drooping buds of Allium stellatum on the right (which are weeks away from bloom in late August). Allium "Garden View 2" - In mid July, among the searing heat in the upper 90's Fahrenheit (36 Celsius), the allium garden is a simmering landscape of pastel flower sprays and color bobs wavering in the hot breeze. Photos by Mark McDonough.
Alliums in the garden Alliums in the summer garden

Bulb Profiles - a view of four uprooted allium species with the soil washed off. From left to right the species are: A. przewalskianum (an Asian species; notice the orange bulb coats), A. heldreichii (a hardy species from Greece), A. amplectens (pink form of this western American onion), and Allium schoenoprasum 'Snowcap' on the right, a dwarf white-flowered chive. Photo by Mark McDonough.
Allium profiles


Click on any of the blue-color links below to go to Allium sub-pages.

American alliums A-CAmerican alliums D-HAmerican alliums I-MAmerican alliums N-RAmerican alliums S-ZAllium flavum RelativesAllium hybridsBig Ball alliumsBlue alliumschivesDomed alliumsDrumstick alliumsMiscellaneous alliums A-EMiscellaneous alliums F-MMiscellaneous alliums N-RMiscellaneous alliums S-ZRhizomatous alliums


Or find the species alphabetically by clicking on the name in the table below.

Allium abramsii Allium acuminatum Allium albidum Allium altyncolicum Allium amethystinum
Allium amplectens Allium atroviolaceum Allium atropurpureum Allium beesianum Allium bolanderi
Allium bulgaricum Allium caeruleum Allium caesium Allium callimischon Allium campanulatum
Allium canadense Allium cardiostemon Allium carinatum Allium carolinianum Allium cernuum
Allium chamaemoly Allium cristophii Allium commutatum Allium convallaroides Allium cratericola
Allium crispum Allium cyaneum Allium cyathophorum Allium darwasicum Allium decipiens
Allium diabolense Allium dichlamydeum Allium eulae Allium falcifolium Allium fimbriatum
Allium flavum Allium 'Gladiator' Allium glandulosum Allium 'Globemaster' Allium 'Globus'
Allium gooddingii Allium griffithianum Allium guttatum Allium haematochiton Allium heldreichii
Allium hickmanii Allium hookeri Allium howellii Allium hyalinum Allium hymenorrhizum
Allium insubricum Allium jepsonii Allium jesdianum Allium jacquemontii Allium karataviense
Allium kharputense Allium kurssanovii Allium lacunosum Allium lemmonii Alium lineare
Allium litvinovii Allium 'Lucy Ball' Allium macranthum Allium mannii Allium maximowiczii
Allium meliophilum Allium membranaceum Allium 'Millenium' Allium moschatum Allium neapolitanum
Allium nevskianum Allium nigrum Allium nutans Allium obliquum Allium oreophilum
Allium paniculatum Allium paradoxum Allium peninsulare Allium perdulce Allium platycaule
Allium plummerae Allium praecox Allium przewalskianum Allium pskemense Allium ramosum
Allium robustum Allium roseum Allium rotundum Allium rubens Allium sanbornii
Allium schoenoprasum Allium schubertii Allium schmitzii Allium scorodoprasum Allium scorzonerifolium
Allium senescens Allium serra Allium sharsmithiae Allium shevockii Allium siculum
Allium sieheanum Allium sibthorpianum Allium sphaerocephalon Allium subhirsutum Allium subvillosum
Allium texanum Allium thunbergii Allium togasii Allium tolmiei Allium triquetrum
Allium tuberosum Allium tuvinicum Allium unifolium Allium ursinum Allium victorialis
Allium wallichii Allium winklerianum Allium woronowii Allium zebdanense

For more information on the huge and varied genus Allium, please visit Mark McDonough's website


American alliums A-CAmerican alliums D-HAmerican alliums I-MAmerican alliums N-RAmerican alliums S-ZAllium flavum RelativesAllium hybridsBig Ball alliumsBlue alliumschivesDomed alliumsDrumstick alliumsMiscellaneous alliums A-EMiscellaneous alliums F-MMiscellaneous alliums N-RMiscellaneous alliums S-ZRhizomatous alliums


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Page last modified on June 10, 2009, at 05:35 PM