Allium aflatunense

Allium aflatunense
	Flowering onions in bloom
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Alliaceae
Genus:	Allium
Species:	A. aflatunense
Binomial name
	Allium aflatunense;

Allium aflatunense (flowering onion) is a plant in the garlic family, Alliaceae.^[1] Native to Central Asia, it is commonly grown as a garden plant.^[2]

Description

Allium aflatunense is a 36" tall bulbous perennial plant with basal, straplike leaves, and hollow, slightly ribbed scapes (flower stems).^[2] The flower heads are dense, globular umbels, about 4" across, made up of numerous star-shaped purplish pink flowers.^[2] It flowers in May and June, with seeds ripening in August. It is commonly sold as a bulb.

It is often confused with A. hollandicum.^[1]

Cultivation

Allium aflatunense is generally hardy in zones 4–8. The plant is suitable for use as a cut flower. While it prefers alkaline soil, it can tolerate poor soil conditions, as well as part shade (though it does best in full sun).

References

^ ^a ^b RHS Plant Finder 2009–2010, p68, Dorling Kindersley, London, 2009, ISBN 978-1-4053-4176-9
^ ^a ^b ^c Brickell, Christopher (Editor-in-chief),The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, p95, Dorling Kindersley, London, 1996, ISBN 0-7513-0303-8

This Asparagales article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[PlantFinder-1] RHS Plant Finder 2009–2010, p68, Dorling Kindersley, London, 2009, ISBN 978-1-4053-4176-9

[RHS_A-Z-2] Brickell, Christopher (Editor-in-chief),The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, p95, Dorling Kindersley, London, 1996, ISBN 0-7513-0303-8

[1]

[2]