Allium 2010

[McDonough]

Allium "Summer Drummer" was a total waste.  Made it to 5.5 ft, looking like a pathetic corn plant, flower cluster smaller and less attractive than the readily available globe hybrids-but flowering in July.  Might have some limited value in some climates for cut flowers.  Mine is going to compost pile.

Thanks for the feedback Charles.  The hybridizer/namer for a number of Alliums (including Summer Drummer) grown in the Netherlands has posted on SRGC about this Allium... it is basically a selected form of Allium ampeloprasum.

Links pertinent to Allium 'Summer Drummer'
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6685.msg203513#msg203513
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6685.msg204932#msg204932
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6685.msg204985#msg204985
...Allium 'Summer Drummer' is a selected seedling of allium ampeloprasum:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6685.msg204999#msg204999

Allium 'Summer Drummer' in late July:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6685.msg209426#msg209426

[Lis Allison]

Hmmmm, Allium experts: what would this one be? It's probably something common as I got the seed from one of the exchanges. It was called Allium cernuum album, but it sure ain't that. About 18" high, blooming now.

[Spiegel]

Mark, I've been drooling over the alliums in part 2 of your article in the Quarterly.  Naturally, they're the ones not so readily available, right?

[McDonough]

Hmmmm, Allium experts: what would this one be? It's probably something common as I got the seed from one of the exchanges. It was called Allium cernuum album, but it sure ain't that. About 18" high, blooming now.

Lis, that is Allium carinatum ssp. pulchellum.  In your last photo, I see the white ones, a lavender color one just peeking from behind a white one, and a darker purplish one... one of my favorite alliums, a good doer, loves the sun and doesn't mind heat and a degree of drought.  An excellent species for the mid summer garden.  As alliums go, for me it doesn't seed around so easily as A. flavum, to which it is related and has the same general look except for flower color and somewhat earlier bloom in July.

[McDonough]

Mark, I've been drooling over the alliums in part 2 of your article in the Quarterly.  Naturally, they're the ones not so readily available, right?

Thanks Anne.  Yes indeed, the whole point of part 2 was to feature some of those rare types that we can dream about, in compliment to Part 1 that covered more accessible species.

[Lis Allison]

Lis, that is Allium carinatum ssp. pulchellum.  In your last photo, I see the white ones, a lavender color one just peeking from behind a white one, and a darker purplish one... one of my favorite alliums, a good doer, loves the sun and doesn't mind heat and a degree of drought.  An excellent species for the mid summer garden.  As alliums go, for me it doesn't seed around so easily as A. flavum, to which it is related and has the same general look except for flower color and somewhat earlier bloom in July.

Thanks much, Mark! I knew you'd know! I had actually noticed it's resemblance to A. flavum - except for the colour they'd be ringers. I like A. carinatum ssp. pulchellum much better, not so spready and the crisp colours really stand out. And it is indeed coping with this drought summer better than a lot of things....