Schubert’s Allium

A very pretty, if rather low, purple-flowered plant, Allium schubertii is a low, bulbous, deciduous perennial that comes up year after year. The bright green leaves are strap-shaped and die back before the flowers appear, so plant a low perennial in front. Large umbels of pink-purple, star-shaped flowers, 30cm/1’ across, with extensions that give a firework effect, are borne on stems of different lengths in summer; the seedheads are very attractive. Bees and other pollinators love the flowers. Plant 10-15cm deep and apart. If your soil is heavy clay, add grit to the planting hole to improve drainage. Good in urban and courtyard gardens and cottage gardens, or in containers. Easy to grow, and no pruning needed. Congested clumps may be divided, or offsets taken. Ornamental onions should NOT be eaten. 

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Any fertile, moist but well-drained or well-drained soil
Position: Full sun
Season of interest: Summer
Hardiness: Hardy to -5 to -10ºC
Height:  2’ (60cm) Spread: 20” (50cm) in 1-2 years

Photos by Nova and NasserHalaweh  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.