February Plant of the Month: Allium Ornamental Onion

By Barbara Boone

Allium is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants that includes hundreds of species to include onion, garlic, leeks, and chives. Flowering alliums such as Allium globemaster grow from bulbs in loamy, well-drained soil with blooms containing hundreds of tiny white to purpleish flowers in late spring to early summer, making them a showy addition to gardens. Standing 12 inches to 5 feet tall, alliums can be used front to back as beautiful backdrops to other flowers and greenery. Besides their colorful presence, alliums are deer resistant and rodent-proof, which makes them welcome additions to gardens.

Allium