ALLIUM. Widespread, Northern Hemisphere. In addition to such food plants as the onion, garlic and chives, the alliums include many fine ornamental bulbs for border, rock garden and container culture. A few are evergreen; most are deciduous at some time of the year. Most have narrowly strap shaped to cylindrical basal leaves during the growing season, and all display small 6-parted blossoms in umbrella-like clusters (sometimes contracted into spherical heads atop naked flowering stalks). Sun, reasonably well drained soil, moderate watering. The following should be hardy to 10oF. or less.
cyathophorum var. farreri. This is the most likely identity for a beautiful allium received a few years ago from the late Marshall Olbrich as A. tibeticum. It is nearly evergreen in our climate, making dense clumps of small bulbs. The shoots stand erect, 1' or less tall, with dark, narrow leaves. Heads of deep reddish purple flowers are carried above the foliage in late summer and fall.
dichlamydeum. One of our showiest native species, this is a small plant (under 1'), each bulb producing a few narrow, flattened, blue-green leaves and in late spring one or more stems displaying dense clusters of tiny dark pink blossoms.
senescens glaucum. An odd little plant with many cylindrical bulbs radiating like spokes at ground level. The bluish green 4-8" leaves are flattened and strangely twisted. Round clusters of lavender pink blossoms appear in summer on 6" stems. This species is not summer dormant and should never be dried out completely. Hardy to 0oF or below.
sikkimense. Himalaya. This is a fine plant for the rock garden, making tight clumps of small, cylindrical bulbs and very narrow, deep green 8-12" leaves. The flower stems rise just above the leaves in summer to display clusters of nodding, deep blue to purple flowers.
splendens. The species is well-named, for it is certainly one of the prettiest of the group. The small bulbs multiply quickly but maintain tight clumps, from which very narrow, dark green 6-8" leaves arise in early spring. By midsummer, loose clusters of nodding, bell shaped, purplish red blossoms appear just above the foliage, the show lasting for several weeks. An excellent pot plant. Winter dormant (and needs moderate summer watering).
unifolium is one of the showiest and most easily grown of our native bulbs, quickly forming many-stemmed colonies. It has narrow, flattened 1' leaves and large clusters of 1/2" pink blossoms on 1-2' stems, appearing in late spring.