Re: Alliums Q&As
Barb asked:
<Another allium question: last year I planted some A. caeruleum bulbs
and they were very lovely this year - a good blue which is hard color to
find. I let some of the flower heads ripen also to save seed and I am
confused as to what and where the seeds are.>
Allium caeruleum is a very vigorous ornamental onion which produces
COPIOUS amounts of seed and is EXTREMELY easy to grow from seed (simple
warm with germination in less than 10 days) and flowering the second
year from seed. It will also self-sow in the garden. The shiny black
seed you describe where the inflorescene was sounds right. All Alliums
have very black (either round or waver shaped seed). If in doubt collect
everything that looks like a seed. You really can't go wrong with this
one.
Blue is a rare color for this genus & A. caeruleum is certainly one to
try. Other particularly choice blue ones are the tiny Allium beesianum
(if you can manage to find the real species- it took me about 8 years)
and A. kuisianum (which often masquerades for A. beesianum, but flowers
a good month earlier- right now in our garden)...
Some Alliums actually form small bulbils either in the same spot where
the inflorescense was, just below it, or sometimes, further down the
stem. As a general rule these are Alliums to be careful with- as they
will be rather difficult to control in the garden due to not only
producing seed but bulbils. Many members of the Lily family also produce
these bulbils.
Of course, being a bulb, most Alliums also multiply by forming new
bulbils underground, so can be increased in this way, by digging up the
plant and removing the offset-bulb and planting it separately.
--
Kristl Walek
Gardens North Seed
5984 Third Line Road, N.
North Gower, Ontario
Canada K0A 2T0
Phone: (613) 489-0065
Fax: (613) 489-1208
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