- © 2025 Annapolis Home Magazine
- All Rights Reserved
By Kymberly Taylor
Flowers have the power to affect us on many levels. Certain peonies summon the memory of a love we left behind. The bearded iris encourages serenity. An extra special flower, Allium orientale, awakens a light laughter in our hearts and helps us let things go. If you are in need of the latter, it’s time to plant the ‘ornamental onion’ in your garden without delay. Its whimsical Dr. Seussian presence will charm you from late spring through June.
Tall and cinematic, Allium orientale looks and smells like a strange lopsided onion. Luckily, it is very easy to grow. From now until frost, dig a hole twice the size of its pungent bulb, add a tablespoon of bone meal, and plant in full sun with the pointy side up. In late spring, as the weather warms, purple globes on four-foot stalks will pop up and nod their heads, like curious munchkins desiring conversation. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, in different shapes and sizes, including a dwarf variety called Allium millennium and the native species, Ramps, or Allium tricoccum, sometimes called wild leek. I have experimented with different sizes of allium and prefer Allium giganteum. Each bloom is composed of hundreds of tightly packed florets. For the High-Heeled Gardener, bigger is always better.
For a bold showing, plant ten to 15 alliums or more. When my gentle giants flower in my front garden, astonishing five-inch blooms capture the attention of bees and butterflies as well as random dog walkers. When I explain what they are, I usually make a new friend. As you admire your floating purple “people,” keep in mind their ancient beginnings.
The genus Allium is thousands of years old, comprising over 800 species that include onions, garlic, and leeks. The bulb was revered by ancient Egyptians who believed its spherical shape and concentric rings were symbols of the universe. Researchers have found that cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia dating back to 3,000 B.C. mention onions, garlic, and leeks as staples in the Sumerian diet. Archaeologists who study ancient material culture note that during this time period, indigenous archaic cultures harvested many varieties of wild alliums growing across our continent. In eastern North America, they may have used wild leek to brew a spring tonic and for medicinal purposes. The remarkable allium lives on. You may go on a foraging expedition yourself to find the Maryland native Allium cernuum, or ‘nodding onion,’—one that looks much like the ornamental onion and can be used to flavor savory cuisine.
There is much to love about this hardworking perennial. Its flowerhead holds its shape until its seeds drop, so it lasts several weeks in the garden. Its crisp sculptural dome complements daylilies and masks early bloomers as they fade. Happily, they repel deer and small wildlife and naturalize quickly. In fact, they have a Cat-in-the-Hat quality and can get out of control before you know it. (By the third year, my alliums tripled!) Plant them now, in the fall, when the ground is beginning to cool. This will give them plenty of time to germinate, wrapped in winter’s cold and useful blanket. While you’re at it, take a moment to hold this hefty yet somehow humble bulb in your hands and imagine all it holds within.
University of Maryland Extension: extension.umd.edu
Maryland Grows: marylandgrows.umd.edu/tag/ramps/
Native American Archaeology in Anne Arundel County, Maryland: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories
NOTE: Many alliums naturally multiply by producing small bulbils at their base. They also self-seed, which allows them to spread easily.
© Annapolis Home Magazine
Vol. 16, No. 5 2025