Plain Language from Truthful Jameses: Allium zebdanense is nice! Mine self-sows decorously and divides readily, and is coming into bloom now. Jim Jones Lexington, MA -----Original Message----- From: Jim McKenney <jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com> To: pbs <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Sat, Apr 23, 2011 1:44 pm Subject: Re: [pbs] Allium zebdanense I share Jim W's high esteem for this Allium. My first stocks of this species came from the John Messelaar Bulb Company perhaps forty years ago. At the time, they were the only ones who listed this species among the bulb merchants I knew. For years I thought it might be tender like the various plants sent out under the name Allium neapolitanum, and so I grew it in a very protected spot. Years later, as my circle of gardening friends expanded, I noticed it naturalized in other local gardens. Now mine grow out in the open. Only last weekend I was visiting a slightly warmer garden which has both A. zebdanense and A. neapolitnaum: they are easily distinguished on the basis of the leaf width (zebdanense narrow, neapolitanum wide) and the slightly narrower and less campanulate flower of A. zebdanense. Jim W wrote : "As the flowers open into small white tufts of multiple flowers, the seem to float inches above the foliage." Here, the flowers open well above the foliage. The long, lax, arching foliage is about six inches under the inflorescence and the scape is very thin and a bit flexuous. It's a very graceful plant. I agree, it's definitely a keeper. Jim McKenney