ALLIUM GENERAL
Category photo (no photo of its own for this entry)
0212 JBR:There are many of the genus which are of importance because of their food value. Chives, Allium schoenoprasum, garlic, A. sativum, leek A. porrum, onion A. cepa, spring onions A. fistulosum and shallot A. ascalonicum. As with many plants these seemed to have been regarded as food crops despite their ornamental, chives as an example are ideal for lining paths. Just how many species there are is a matter for debate. There are at least some 500 species, but Dilys Davies in her book Alliums, the Ornamental Onion, says the number is 800 to 1000 possible species.
The genus
Allium is a large genus (about 800 species), widely used in gardens (and as vegetables of course). Most species have rigid stems and are well suited for cut flowers. An esthetic problem with alliums is that their leaves look rather tatty at the time of flowering, so make sure of a sufficient ground cover at that time. Beware that several Allium species can become very invasive when grown in a climate similar to their natural environment. There are 3 distinct sections: 1.The " Mediterraneans " have a very long wintergrowing period and start growing in September. They are best planted in the summer. Examples are A. flavum, A. cowanii, A. triquetrum, etc. 2 Those of mountainous or continental origin need a cold period and start growing in the winter and are naturally resistant to heavy frosts. Examples are A. giganteum, A. nigrum, A. unifolium. 3 The "leek" type species such as A. tuberosum, A. senescens, A. schoenoprasum or A. cernuum have a very long growing period extending often well into the summer and can be planted during the winter.
- Family :Liliaceae
- Subfamily :Alliaceae
- Flowering height :0-15 cm
Growing cycle
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