Sunday, August 8, 2010

Allium as a cut flower


Allium is a cut flower that blooms into a globe shaped cluster of flowers at the end of a long stem. The size of allium flower ranges from one to twelve inches. It could be purple white or green in color but purple one is the most popular. This plant belongs to the onion family but it doesn't smell much. If a stem or a leaf is crushed, it could emit a slight aroma.


Out of all varieties of allium flower, the most popular is the Allium gigantum which is a large flower of purple color. Being the largest of all varieties, the flower cluster of this variety could grow up to produce a flower head of around six inches in diameter. These flowers have a vase life of around three weeks when left in water. The stem of this variety could be around 40 inches long.

As it belongs to the onion family, its thick leaves begin to go brown when the allium flower blooms. It is a good idea to grow allium among plants that last long as they could hide the brown colored leaves. Butterflies like allium flowers, but the plant is disliked by many animals that come to your garden such as the mice and chipmunks. Even the deer won't eat it.

As the alliums bloom in early spring, they are some of the flowers that could come to your vase early in spring. As it lasts three weeks in your vase, allium is a good flower to add color to your vase.

3 comments:

Rose said...

Alliums can actually multiply in one year if you leave them in the ground. I don't know any tips for edible allium, can you share more?

Rose said...

In what time of year do you plant the alliums? I'm guessing autumn, right?

Kuntal Debnath said...

Hi Rose You are right.