(Nodding Onion)

Distinguished by its nodding flower heads and its relatively long season of bloom, this small to medium-sized bulbous perennial is among the most popular of the ornamental onions. It is native to slopes, prairies, and open woodlands throughout much of North America.

Plants form clumps of flattened, arching, grass-like leaves, arising from narrow bulbs with grayish, fibrous coats. In late spring and summer, bulbs produce solitary flower stems, each bearing a domed cluster of 20 to 30 purple-pink...

(Christoph's Onion, Star of Persia)

The star of Persia ornamental onion is grown for its huge globe-like cluster of shimmering pink-purple starry flowers, which rises like a flowery lollipop from a single leafless stem in the early summer. The large, strap-like gray-green basal leaves emerge slightly before the short-stemmed flower appears.

Alliums are onions and thus most have the familiar pungent fragrance when their leaves or stems are crushed. Star of Persia is native to Turkey and Central Asia where it grows in full sun and...

(Fragrant Yellow Onion, Yellow Ornamental Onion)

Yellow ornamental onion is a compact bulbous perennial grown for its bright yellow, wispy flower clusters that appear in late spring to summer. Each cluster, or umbel, bears up to 60 bell-shaped flowers with prominent stamens; the flowers nod down as they open. Its clumps of slender blue-green leaves grasp the base of each leafless stem.

This allium is native to Europe and western Asia where it grows in full sun and well-drained, often sandy, soil. Bulbs should be planted in the autumn under...

(Dutch Ornamental Onion)

Dutch ornamental onion sprouts a softball-sized globe of purplish pink, star-shaped flowers in the summer. The flower stalk rises several feet as the large, strappy leaves die back. This species is a natural hybrid variant of Allium aflatunense, which is native to central Asia. Alliums are in the onion family and thus release the familiar pungent fragrance when their leaves or stems are crushed. It thrives in well-drained, even sandy, neutral soil in full sun.

Plant this bulb in the...

(Dutch Ornamental Onion)

Closely allied to Central Asian species such as Allium stipitatum, this ornamental onion of garden origin bears softball-sized globes of violet-purple flowers on tall stems in late spring. The strappy basal leaves wither at flowering time. The bulbs and crushed leaves give off the familiar "onion smell".

This perennial thrives in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Plant it in fall and keep it well watered through the growing season. Lift and divide the bulbs only if they become...

(Turkestan Onion)

The Turkestan onion is a perennial onion bulb grown both for its late-spring to summer blooming globes of pale pink flowers and its pairs of long, grayish-purple leaves which grow almost horizontally. Unlike most ornamental onions, the Turkestan onion keeps its leaves even while in flower. However, all onions lose their foliage in even the mildest winter climates. As a member of the onion family, this plant releases the familiar pungent fragrance when its leaves or stems are crushed. It is native...

(Turkestan Onion)

The Ivory Queen Turkestan onion is a perennial onion bulb grown both for its late-spring to summer blooming globes of white flowers and its pairs of long, grayish-purple leaves which grow almost horizontally. Unlike most ornamental onions, this one keeps its leaves while in flower. However, all onions lose their foliage in even the mildest winter climates. It is native to central Asia where it grows in well-drained soil in full sun.

Plant this bulb in the autumn four inches deep (10 cm) in fertile,...

(Golden Onion)

Golden garlic is grown for the bright golden yellow loose umbels that bloom in late spring to early summer. More than thirty star-shaped flowers emerge on a single stem from and amid long, flat gray-green glossy leaves. Golden garlic belongs to the onion family and thus releases the familiar pungent fragrance when its leaves or stems are crushed. It is native to southern and southwestern Europe, where it grows in well-drained, often sandy, soil in full sun.

In the autumn, plant golden garlic...

(Golden Onion)

Golden garlic cultivar 'Jeannine' is grown for the bright golden yellow loose umbels that bloom in early summer. The flowerhead is larger than the species. More than thirty star-shaped flowers emerge on a single tall stem from amid long, flat gray-green glossy leaves. Golden garlic belongs to the onion family and thus releases the familiar pungent fragrance when its leaves or stems are crushed. It is native to southern and southwestern Europe, where it grows in well-drained, often sandy, soil in...

(Black Garlic)

Black garlic, a bulbous perennial, is grown for its creamy white to pale lilac umbels, which bloom in the summer. Each umbel bears twenty to thirty large, open, cup-shaped flowers on deep purple stems. The flowers emerge from long strappy grayish green basal leaves. Alliums belong to the onion family and thus all have the familiar pungent fragrance when their leaves or stems are crushed. Black garlic is native to the Mediterranean where it grows in full sun and well-draining, often sandy soil.

...