Alliums - the Ornamental Onions
Allium akaka, also known as A. latifolium I believe this is the stoutest and strangest-looking of the Alliums. The pinkish-grey flowers arise on short stems of only 10 cm or so. The stem is thick, and the leaves broad. If grown on scree or in a dry rockery bed, this Allium can repeat bloom from late-spring to Autumn.
Allium nigrum The ivory flowers are well-shown in tight clusters on the dark stems. It is native of Southern Europe and usually grows on limestone, but is easy to grow in any well-drained and sunny place.
Allium regelii These are the onions of the Hindu Kush and Iran. I have trouble growing them here but I'm sure if I protected them from rain in the summer more they would flower nicely. They are very unique in their candelabra-type formation. The white to pale-pink flowers are arranged in whorls around the stem, usually with 2 or 3 separate layers, but much like a robust Japanese Primrose, they can sport up to 6 in ideal and mature conditions.
Allium moly This golden onion is very show in early-summer. In France they grow in shaded rocky areas and on Scree in the mountains, but they will grow in almost any sunny well-drained place.
Allium oreophilum Much later blooming and hot pink is this native of central Asia. There is a fine cultivar 'Zwanenburg', darker in colour, and more vigorous too. This doesn't need very fast drainage but should still be grown in the sun.
Allium christophii These Alliums behave differently in every garden it seems, but in mine, they leaf out beautifully in a hairy-silky way in April and May, and then wither to nothing. The first time this happened to me, I thought "what an anti-climax these christophiis are'". As it turned out, they flowered in August and September, and have done every year since. Apparently this is how they act in Iran as well. The flowers are worth waiting for. They are pink on stems to 2 feet tall, and the way they are arranged on the stem is best described as fireworks.
Allium flavum These yellow onions have grey leaves and stems, giving them a silvery appearance. They're from southern Europe and prefer well-drained soils in mild climates. They're easy to grow here, and make for a very pretty show in mid-Summer amongst grasses such as Festuca idahoensis and other blue grasses.
Allium cyaneum Like many supposedly blue things, I see this more as violet. Still, it
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