TOW Allium

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Fri, 07 Mar 2003 12:31:07 PST
John Ingram wrote
>I do have a plant that came only labeled as curly allium. I love the
leaves but I have never seen flwoers on it. It has only slightly increased
over the years. I would love to put a nae on this plant. 

I believe that Allium senescens is sometimes sold under this name. The
leaves are curved and twisted and lie pretty much prostrate. The flowers
are mid lavender and small, on very short stems. It is often grown on rock
gardens.

John continued >I have also thought of A. krave.... with the large greyish
leaves and white flowers. 

That is A. karataviense 'Ivory Queen', and it is truly beautiful. It's much
cheaper now than it was just a couple of years ago.

Regarding growing alliums from seed, I've grown most of the ones Diane
Whitehead mentioned. I find that if they don't germinate after 3 years,
they never will. Most germinate in winter to spring from fall planting, but
some tend to come up the second year, especially if planted late. They make
good little bulbs the first year.

The two that have defeated me are A. narcissiflorum and A. insubricum,
which are beautiful alpine species I would like to have. I have plants of
both but neither has flowered, and some of my A. narcissiflorum are 6 years
old.

One favorite that has not been mentioned is A. hierochuntinum, a xeric
species I grow in the bulb frame. The dense flower heads are a shade of
blue-lavender that I don't remember seeing in other alliums. I grew it from
seed collected by Halda, and I seem to recall that I have seedlings this
year from it.

Jane McGary
NW Oregon


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