In recent decades, the ornamental onion has made a huge advance. Where we used to deal with only a few species, there are now dozens. Not only because the Allium is such a beautiful flower bulb for the garden, it is also making a splash in the flower trade as a cut flower.

Yet, in the eyes of most people, many Alliums look alike. To help you find your way around the world of Alliums, here is a short guide.

Of the purple-blue Alliums, the Allium Early Emperor is the earliest, this new acquisition blooms together with the late Tulips and the Camassia

Then comes the Allium Purple Sensation , this is the cheapest and most cultivated Allium among the large-flowered Alliums. It blooms just after the later spring-flowering bulbs and has the disadvantage that it does not have such a long flowering period. On the other hand, it does make graceful balls with seed heads when it has finished flowering.

After this, it is now almost the end of May, the three giants come into bloom. It starts with the Allium Globemaster ; a phenomenal ornamental onion that blooms for weeks.

Early June, theAllium Ambassador also comes into play. Just a little darker in colour and a little longer than the Globemaster. With its stately straight stems, the Ambassador provides a chic atmosphere in the garden.

If you want to plant a somewhat rarer white ornamental onion, choose the Allium Mount Everest . One of the longest Alliums and it flowers in the second half of May. Just like the Purple Sensation not so long lasting but again beautiful seed boxes.

Also worth trying is the Allium Red Mohican . Its, for ornamental onions, special color and its punky flower shape are really something new.

Allium giganteum

For the Allium giganteum you have to wait until the end of July, sometimes even the beginning of August. But the wait is more than worth it, the slow flowering of her onion buds is already nice to see. Once she is in bloom she is present for weeks and her flowers become a little bigger every day.

From inside the flower, new flowers keep appearing, the stems of which are just a little bit longer. This also happens with the Allium Globemaster and the Allium Ambassador. Because new flowers keep appearing on the surface, these Alliums can bloom for such a long time and as a result, the flowers of these species become larger during the bloom.

But there are more special shapes and other colours. In the Fluwel web shop we offer a nice assortment of Alliums , I cordially invite you to take a look, who knows there is something for you.

Kind regards,
Carlos van der Veek