What is Allium sphaerocephalon?
Allium sphaerocephalon is a plant species in the Amaryllis family known as round-headed leek, round-headed garlic, ball-head onion, and other variations on these names. Drumstick allium is another common name applied to this species. Some publications use the alternate spelling Allium sphaerocephalum. The nectar-rich flowers of alliums will attract butterflies, bees and hoverflies. Now is the perfect time to plant them for a lovely spring display. Alliums are known as ornamental onions and belong to the group with shallots, chives and garlic.Ornamental alliums are not as tasty as the edible varieties, but for humans, they are not poisonous and will not cause any kind of reaction for people that do not have allergies to them. People who are allergic to onions and garlic may have reactions to the ornamental cultivars.Planted around and among other edible and ornamental plants, they naturally repel rabbits and deer. Some Alliums are delicious edibles, commonly planted in crop gardens. Examples include shallots, scallions, onions, leeks, chives, and garlic.Unless you are fluent in Latin it probably won’t, because Allium is the Latin word for garlic. In biology, Allium is the designation for a genus of plants that includes not just garlic, but onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, and chives as well.
Is Allium sphaerocephalon a perennial or annual?
Allium sphaerocephalon, commonly called round-headed leak or drumstick allium, is a bulbous perennial that is ornamentally grown for its early summer bloom of rose-purple to pink flower heads. Allium sphaerocephalon is also known as the round-headed garlic or Drumstick Allium due to its unusual shape.
What should you not plant near alliums?
Plants Not To Grow With Alliums Avoid planting any type of Allium, ornamental or edible, near beans and peas in the edible kitchen garden. While Alliums are good at attracting beneficial pollinators, they also give off chemicals in the soil that will stunt the growth of any beans or peas growing near them. Allium bulbs will thrive best in a sunny spot with free-draining soil. Choose an area of your garden that receives full sun, ideally with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.After Alliums finish blooming, let the leaves die back naturally, so the bulbs can store energy for the following season. Once the foliage has completely withered, and you have dried flower heads, you can cut it down to ground level. Leave the bulbs in the soil over the winter, as they’ll stay dormant until spring.Alliums are bulbous perennials, living up to four years after planting. With a long flowering season, they bloom for weeks on end, bridging the gap between spring and summer.Plant Allium bulbs in early to mid-autumn in a sheltered site to prevent top-heavy flower spikes from blowing over. Dig over the soil and remove any weeds before planting. Water well after planting, saturating the soil around the bulbs. Once established, Alliums are drought tolerant.
Why avoid allium?
Allium intolerance is a condition in which a person has difficulty digesting foods from the Allium family, such as onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives. This can result in symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, and abdominal pain after consuming these foods. Polyphenols are a type of phytochemical or plant-based nutrient that provide health benefits. The polyphenol content of onions is higher than that of other allium vegetables (including tomatoes, carrots, and red bell peppers), making onions an excellent vegetable to consume on a regular basis.Alliums are nutrient-dense, filled with phytonutrients and antioxidants. I eat a roasted onion every day in salads or mixed with other roasted vegetables like fennel or sweet peppers. They add a sensuous depth of flavor to most any dish.