(Siberian Onion)

The Siberian onion, a bulbous perennial, is grown for its tiny umbels of cup-shaped pale to mid purple flowers, which bloom from mid to late summer. The flower stalks emerge from a basal clump of short, grassy leaves. Alliums belong to the onion family and thus all have the familiar pungent fragrance when their leaves or stems are crushed. The Siberian onion is native to Europe and northern Asia, where it grows in full sun and well-draining, often sandy soil.

In the fall, plant this bulb two...

(Blue Siberian Onion)

Named for its spiraling blue-gray leaves, this North Asian native is also noted for its small dense umbels of cup-shaped lilac-pink flowers, which bloom from mid to late summer. The finger-length, flattened, strap-shaped leaves appear in spring and remain attractive all season. They emit an onion scent when crushed. The leaves and flower stems grow from narrow bulbs clustered on a shallow rhizome.

Blue Siberian onion prefers sun and well-drained soil and tolerates drought once established. Lift...

(Siberian Onion)

One of the few ornamental onions to bloom in late summer, this native of Europe and Central Asia bears small dense umbels of cup-shaped lilac-pink flowers on compact stems. The grassy, pungently scented leaves appear in spring and remain green all season. The leaves and flower stems grow from narrow bulbs clustered on a shallow rhizome.

Siberian onion prefers sun and well-drained soil and tolerates drought once established. Lift and divide the clumps only when they become crowded. Grow this diminutive...

(Drumstick Onion, Round-headed Garlic)

The drumstick onion, a bulbous perennial, is grown for its dense, egg-shaped clusters of small, greenish-pink to dark-red flowers, which bloom in the summer on tall flower stalks that emerge from a basal clump of long, linear green leaves. When crushed, the leaves and stems have the familiar, pungent fragrance of the onion family. The drumstick onion is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia, where it grows in full sun and well-drained, often sandy soil.

In the fall, plant this bulb a hand’s width...

(Ramps, Wild Leek)

This is an enormous and diverse plant genus. The onion family contains about 1250 species of herbaceous bulbous or rhizomatous plants that can be found across north temperate climates worldwide. All are perennials and cultivated forms are either grown for their ornamental flowers and foliage or as crops that yield edible greens and bulbs, such as onion, garlic, chive and leek. Species may be deciduous or evergreen and some are ephemeral.

Ornamental onions run the gamut from tiny groundcovers...

(Chinese Chives)

There are lots of reasons to love and hate garlic chives, also called Chinese chives. On the upside, they’re easy to grow, attractive and delicious to eat. The downside is they're impossibly invasive if one doesn't remove their flower heads before they set and drop seed. Each seedhead produces copious amounts of viable, black, wedge-shaped seeds that germinate fast. You’ll be weeding baby garlic chives out of every garden nook and cranny. The plants originate from Southwest China but have become...

(Wild Garlic)

This is an enormous and diverse plant genus. The onion family contains about 1250 species of herbaceous bulbous or rhizomatous plants that can be found across north temperate climates worldwide. All are perennials and cultivated forms are either grown for their ornamental flowers and foliage or as crops that yield edible greens and bulbs, such as onion, garlic, chive and leek. Species may be deciduous or evergreen and some are ephemeral.

Ornamental onions run the gamut from tiny groundcovers...

(European Alder)

Black alder is a medium-sized, fast-growing, deciduous tree native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, but has naturalized in other regions including the northeastern and central United States. It bears handsome, glossy, dark-green leaves from spring to fall, and its catkins provide mild interest in winter and early spring.

Requiring sun but thriving in most soils, it excels as a shade or screening tree in sites that are too damp or barren for other trees. It may be invasive in some...

(Cutleaf European Alder)

Black alder is a medium-sized, fast-growing, deciduous tree native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, but has naturalized in other regions including the northeastern and central United States. It bears handsome, glossy, dark-green leaves from spring to fall, and its catkins provide mild interest in winter and early spring.

Requiring sun but thriving in most soils, it excels as a shade or screening tree in sites that are too damp or barren for other trees. It may be invasive in some...

(European Alder)

Black alder is a medium-sized, fast-growing, deciduous tree native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, but has naturalized in other regions including the northeastern and central United States. It bears handsome, glossy, dark-green leaves from spring to fall, and its catkins provide mild interest in winter and early spring.

Requiring sun but thriving in most soils, it excels as a shade or screening tree in sites that are too damp or barren for other trees. It may be invasive in some...