Allium (ornamental onion)

Allium

A bulb. A short stem (the basal plate) wrapped in fleshy scales that hold the food store, with the next flower folded inside.

Whole

Cut open

Store	Bulb. Cut it in half: you see layers like an onion.
Depth	10-15 cm to the base of the bulb
Spacing	10-20 cm apart
When	Plant in autumn. Plant: from your first autumn frost to 6 weeks after. Work out your dates.
Pets	Not on the ASPCA list: treat as unsafe to chew

About Allium (ornamental onion)

Ornamental onions. Round heads on tall stems from an onion-like bulb; the seedheads stay attractive after flowering.

Depth and spacing

Typical range: 10-15 cm deep and 10-20 cm apart. A general rule is to plant at two to three times the height of the bulb; check the label for your variety. The drawing is to scale for 12.5 cm deep and 15 cm apart (the size of the organ is illustrative); try your own measurements.

When to plant

Plant in autumn. Plant: from your first autumn frost to 6 weeks after. These are rules of thumb for the northern hemisphere. Enter your frost dates for real dates.

Dividing and propagating

Offsets and bulbils are produced around the main bulb. Lift in late summer and separate; seed sown fresh gives flowering plants in three to four years.

Lifting and storing

Leave in the ground in well-drained soil. Dry the bulbs in a cool airy place if you lift them.

Not on the ASPCA list

The ASPCA plant list has no entry we could match to this plant, so we cannot say it is safe. Keep pets from chewing it and digging up the bulb, and ask your vet if in doubt. Search the ASPCA list.