The first growing season it typically produces a solid bulbs. It doesn't produce cloves till the second season. I agree with bboy it appears to have a virus. Probably best to eat it and buy fresh growing stock next year. HTH Chris

I was just about to add a few things I'd left out but ..wow! you people are quick! I forgot to mention the flowers were light pink. Also, I just opened parts of the top to see if they were seed pods or little "bulblets" and did detect a slight garlicy smell. The fumes were very strong and opened my sinuses (as when cutting onions, for example)but the actual smell was rather faint. "..but it may be in the Fritillaria family such as imperialis?" No, but that is very cool! Had I seen one of these instead, yes, I'd have taken it and, yes, I'd be asking what the heck it is. "Perhaps could it be ..Allium aflatunense?" I don't think so but similar. Some photos of Allium aflatunense look closer than others. Looking into it further, I'm finding images of various Ornamental Onion, Ornamental Chives, Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii, Allium angulosum that look pretty close. Possibly Alllium Hollandicum? Whatever the case, I'm more confident it's some sort or another of large Allium . Thanks

My experience: I planted A. giganteum, christophii and gladiator bulbs and they did not even put out leaves. A. schubertii, Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum (elephant garlic), A. tuberosum (garlic chives), A. schoenoprasum (onion chives), a white fall flowering allium and Tulbaghia violacea (not an allium but smells like one) have done well for me. Scott Ogden's book (Garden Bulbs for the South) which I wish I had discovered before I bought all the large-flowering allium bulbs, confirms what I observed. It also states that A. spherocephalon (drumstick allium), A. triquetrum, A. coryi and A. neapolitanum do well in the south-I have not tried them. I can bring the noid fall flowering white allium and elephant garlic to the swap if you would like them. Susan

What!?! Good grief! Nonsense. Half the alliums out there are either California natives or hybrids of!! Plant alliums to your heart's content, just pick varieties that are better suited to our warmer climate. Go to your best nursery, one you know has knowledgeable folks. They should stock alliums that grow well in your area. You should be able to fill up your garden here with hundreds of lovely alliums. And, the gophers don't like allium bulbs (or narcissus), nor do deer if you've got deer in your area. Here are some great links for you. The first link from the Los Angeles Times will give you some great variety selections to plant: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2009/11/planting-allium-in-southern-california.html http://californiagardenclubs.com/content/alliums-all-season-long http://www.finegardening.com/design/articles/alliums-spring-fall-all-season.aspx http://www.californianativebulbs.com/HTML/Alliums.html http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/AmericanAlliums Patty S.