Comparing Allium Varieties
Some photos from yesterday:
'Purple Sensation' has the deepest/richest purples, however the bulbs decided to split into many smaller plants for me this year, and some are a lighter purple:
Comments (12)
FrozeBudd_z3/4
6 years agoI agree, 'Purple Sensation' is very eye catching deep rich purple! I now have a vast number of 'Globemaster' sprinkled around the place and 'Lucy Ball' is strikingly tall and makes quite the statement. New this year is 'Ostara' and 'Round and Purple' ... though, the ground was very wet this spring and I had lost two of the three 'Round and Purple' and only saving the one after doing extensive surgery upon it, but happy all hadn't been lost, I should haven known better than to have planted them in heavier soil.
'Globemaster'
The tall 'Lucy Ball'
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Comments (3)Hi SusiQ, I'm fairly new at growing alliums, but here are some basics. First, you need to distinguish between ornamental alliums (basically, the named varieties) and edible alliums like garlic and onion. The ones grown for flowers are the ornamentals. 1. Allium with a short a - like alley - um. 2. Ornamental allium bulbs are perennial. You just leave them in the ground and they come back, and even multiply, next year. (Having said that, I am in zone 4, I don't know if zone 7 is too hot for that. Your local nursery or master gardener program should be able to tell you.) 3/4. As I mentioned, the named varieties (Globemaster, drumstick, etc.) are ornamentals. The bulbs are not meant to be eaten. I believe they are classified as onions. 5/6. Garlic isn't generally grown for the flowers, but for the bulbs. As you noticed, garlic smells like garlic. The ornamentals I grow don't smell. 7. Don't know, I've never tried them. 8. I have an allium caeruleum in a vase right now because it fell over in the garden. It was in the garden for at least a week before I picked it and has been in the vase for about 5 days now and still going strong. (The allium in the garden have been going for a couple of weeks and still look great despite an incredible June hot spell of 90's for the last week (by comparison, the rose buds bloomed and wilted within two days in this heat). Well, that's about all I know. Good luck with your flower selling. Marne...See Morecan anyone compare flat/Italian bush varieties?
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6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoLove all the suggestions and thank you for the photos! I want them all, they all sound very intriguing!
Here was 'Ivory Queen' today, the blooms bend and follow the sun in the evening. Some have a burgundy tinge, while one unopened bud looks like it will be more white:
This is my largest sized 'Purple Sensation':
Update on the other patch of 'Purple Sensation' which decided to split into several smaller plants:
From a bag of assorted, I believe may be allium christophii:
prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago'Globemaster' two days ago, interesting how the stem has thickened as the bloom matures. It is slightly shorter than 'Gladiator' but the bloom/ball is slightly larger:
'Ambassador' looks like it will be next, here it is in front:
'Ivory Queen' update. The blooms get larger as they mature, which seems the same for all the other alliums I have:
prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)
6 years ago'Ambassador', photo from yesterday.
I am really liking 'Ambassador', it's a bit shorter than 'Gladiator', thicker in stem and leaves, and a deeper purple.
'Globemaster' has definitely gotten bigger:
selch9
6 years agoprairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)
6 years agoNo problem Selch, I love sharing photos. 'Ivory Queen has been outstanding, I got them as fall bulbs from Botanus and Golden Acre last year. Its interesting they came in two shades from the same package, a white and a burgundy, here is my patch in the front years today. Not sure if the leaves are more pointed because this is north exposure, or if there are slight differences from plant to plant:
Allium 'Ambassador' one of my favourites so far, I am absolutely amused by its near perfect roundness, dense flowers, and deep rich colour. Here it is today, it's grown slightly, and 'Globemaster' is in the background for comparison:
prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)
6 years agoHere's 'Schubertii' from today as well:
prairie_northrose (3b north of Calgary AB, Canada)
6 years agoUpdate on 'Schubertii', photo from today, it has really grown! I'll have to move it to where there are less distracting plants in the background.
norman ng (Calgary z3b)
6 years agonorman ng (Calgary z3b)
6 years ago
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