Favorite BIG and/or late-flowering alliums?

I have some Purple Sensations, Globemasters and Star of Persias (Allium christophii), but I saw some HUGE, deep purple alliums with thick, dark stems that I'm told are either Allium giganteum or Allium "Gladiator." Anyone have tips about their favorite, BIG alliums -- and good sources for them?

Also, I've seen some later-flowering kinds, like Summer Drummer, Millennium and Pink Planet. Recommendations?

That's interesting about the Alliums. I grow all three, Purple Sensation, Gladiator and Globemaster. Globemaster is the largest flower I've seen, larger than Gladiator, and yes, has a huge stem. However, Gladiator is taller than Globemaster and blooms before Globemaster.

I also would like to know more about the late-flowering kinds. So hopefully someone else will come along and post.

I ordered some Pink Planets and Millenniums (Millennia?) from High Country Gardens for fall planting...

I get their catalog, but haven't had time to look. Also about the Globemaster alliums, mine were at least 10" (diamter) across. However, since the bulbs split (which is good for increase), I had three flowers instead of one, and they were smaller, more the size of Gladiator which is only about 6" across. Hopefully this coming year those three bulbs will have matured more and the flowers will be bigger again.

I grow them all or as many as I can find, and my Allium Globemaster has the largest flower heads and most stout stems of any of them in my garden. I got most of them from eflowergarden sales over the years at good prices and they have grown and come back very well. Photo taken of one patch of them on June 12, 2010. Patti

Those are beauties! Thanks, Patti.

Hi, bbookrd,

Those are beautiful.

Could you remind me what else is blooming at the same time?

I think I see Ornithogalum? Any perennials? t.

Quick list....tons of TBI Iris, aquilegia, Campanula glomerata, many primula, early hardy geraniums, Camassia leichtlinii, many roses, Potentilla fruticosa, Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus, Baptisia Carolina Moonlight, early Clematis , Digitalis, Filipendula vulgaris, Achillea, many Paeonia lactiflora, DL Hemerocallis Stella de Or and lots of early asiatic lilies and I still have late narcissus and some tulips. Patti

End of August, and I just purchased 2 bags of large bulb alliums in Costco. One is Globemaster. I get them when I see them. They sell fast.

The large alliums come up the earliest and seem to last the longest. Even the seed heads last a long time.

Go to eflowergarden as he has them at a good price along with all his bulbs or what he has left that is coming soon in his container from Holland. He always has first rate bulbs. I hate getting my alliums too early as they stink to high heaven. I found out that after putting a box in my cool guest room closet one Sept. that had some in it. I thought I had a skunk in the house after a while. But I love them. Patti

I laughed as I read your post, Patti. I'm always astounded that I've forgotten to plant something (often an entire bag of bulbs), and the smell reminds me that I left them in my trunk. Since our summer was so hot, so many of our flowers bloomed early and faded. It's cooled down considerably, so I guess I'll not wait too long to put in these huge alliums.

The Costco packages I just bought are Globemaster (3 of each) and Gladiator (4 of each) for about $12.50 per package. Last fall I planted some in a 35-gallon container on the deck, and they bloomed as well as those in the ground.

This is one of the Globemasters from May 7th of this year (from Costco, of course). The seed heads lasted forever and were much nicer than the smaller allium plants (drumstick?) that bloomed 2 months later.

I love allium 'Schubertii' - they aren't tall, but the blooms are huge. They do pretty well even here in North Texas and come up around the same time as my Thalia daffs - a lovely combo.

cool!

I gotta get some Schubertii. Thanks, TexasTam!

Sure Jeeem! Shop around for the best price - I know Brent & Becky's Bulbs and Scheepers carry them.

bbook., thanks for your list of companion plants for the large allium. I made a 'tag' to keep the info handy.

I don't think there are any BIG late flowering alliums. One of the latest and best is Alium thunbergii, usually sold as Allium thunbergii 'Ozawas'. Here in Minnesota, the blooms are still there through the first snowfalls. Allium flavum varieties are later, summer blooming, good choices. Our native Allium cernuum and A. stellatum bloom in mid summer, and are edible too.

Rick

My Spring begins with Allium Purple Sensation blooming on a WARM side of the house.
Then my Gladiator and Mount Everest bloom together, a great combo.
Next is Allium Christophii, My favorite. This one is only 2ft tall, but a huge open bloom.
Then Globemaster and Molly. Molly love to naturalize my garden, so I dig them up every couple years.
Then finally Allium Hair. Hair is strange looking, but I love to put it in a few arrangements. Watch out for those seeds or you will have a ton of seedlings. Actually, I started my Hair allium from seed, took 3 years for it to bloom, but that was ok.

I used to grow Allium karativiense and Allium karativiense Ivory Queen. I just loved their beautiful leaves, but not the flowers.
Also grew but lost the blue Azure Allium, how do you lose allium bulbs?
Also, someone once gave me a bulb of what looked like Allium rosenbachianum, but the flower just looked grey to me so I didn't keep it.



I have to thin out my gladiators every 3 years, this is what I did one year with a bunch of extras. these are in a area that is in partial shade and getting shadier every year. but they still bloom, just not as great as in full sun.

Nice garden and alliums!

Not to be picky (but I guess I am), I think you mean Allium moly?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=allium&searcher[species]=molly&searcher[cultivar]=&searcher[hybridizer]=&searcher[grex]=&search_prefs[blank_cultivar]=&search_prefs[sort_by]=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search&searcher[species]=moly


This message was edited Sep 27, 2010 10:07 AM