Allium 2010

[RickR]

I love a mystery...

The really nice thing, technically speaking, about solid backgrounds is that it allows greater compression of the image file, while still keeping the detail of the subject.  Similarly, a blurred background will allow more preservation of detail of the subject than a photo with an in focus background.

[Todd Boland]

OK, it seems most of my senescens are the real thing...they have the rhizomatous habit you describe.  Also, most have finished blooming (actually have shed their seeds) except Blue Eddie which is just starting (why is this one do darn late?).  I will have to go back and look for my sources for the current blooming onion.  I will also have a look at the bulb scenario.  I will endeavor to get a whole plant shot if the wind ever dies down!  I know this one did not come from NARGS (a convenient scapegoat for mislabeled seed).

[Todd Boland]

Well I could not discover the source of my recent allium but here is the plant...it has the habit of a senescens.

[McDonough]

In bloom today, a recently received replacement to an Allium I once grew but lost, Allium thunbergii DJH 272 (Dan Hinkley).   It is 6-8" (15-20 cm) in bloom.

[McDonough]

At least 1 month early this year, is an allium received as A. taquetii that I received from the US National Arboretum many years ago; the name taquetii is a synonym for A. thunbergii.  Certainly the flowers are just like A. thunbergii, deep rose-purple with long exserted stamens, and flowering very late in the season.  However, instead of having the usual fistulose (hollow) keeled leaves, here the leaves are absolutely flat and not hollow. Usually this one blooms extremely late, the end of October into December, but this year it is flowering much earlier, even before A. thunbergii 'Ozawa'!

[Harold Peachey]

Allium thunbergii white form blooming now

[McDonough]

Allium thunbergii white form blooming now

Very nice Harold, that's one of the finest clumps of white thunbergii I've seen. It also has those older leaves that age an orange color as seen on the purple 'Ozawa' selection.  What is the source of your plant, it seems more compact than normal.

[Harold Peachey]

Mark-bought this plant at a nursery in Ithaca, NY a couple of years ago at an end of season sale along with a few alpines that seemed out of place at this particular nursery, has not made seed in the past, hoping for some this year, but as it is late in the season I am not overly optimistic, but if successful, will send you some.

[McDonough]

A view of my Allium thunbergii 'Ozawa' planting, and a lone never-increasing white form of A. thunbergii, taken today on this unseasonably warm day.  The temperature at 74 F, the Allium planting was covered with an impossible number of bees; I tried making a video to show, and to capture the the droning buzz of frenzied bees, on what might be their last stand for the year.  Note:  photo taken in morning before it warmed up and before the masses of bees arrived.

[externmed]

Allium 'Summer Drummer'

Guess this new cv may not qualify as rock garden, as it's reported to reach 6 feet.  Bought it fall of 2009.  Came up spring 2010 and grew about 14 inches and disappeared.  Quite surprised to find it now at 16 to 18 inches and growing strong -- with winter lows expected at -5 to 5F.

Clearly this new variety is not suitable in USDA zone 6, but rather should be classsed as a zone 7 or 8 -- to be determined.
Charles Swanson NE Massachusetts USA

[Lori S.]

Lots of vendors suggest zone 4 as the low end for 'Summer Drummer', and such zone ratings are usually very conservative (giving the general impression that it must be an nonvegetated wasteland north of zone 6   ), rather than the other way around.  
Having said that, I'm not familiar with that particular cultivar among the big alliums.  Is it a hybrid of some particularly tender species?

[McDonough]

Charles, I read your message a couple times and just didn't notice that you appended to the name of the message subject to indicate the Allium cultivar name of 'Summer Drummer', normally that remains to match the topic.  So that it doesn't trick others as it did me, I added the name of the cultivar to the body of your message  

I can't find out much about this, other than it is Dutch origin and was introduced in 2006.  One thing I find very frustrating about the Dutch bulb trade, they'll name plants without any indication of the underlying species, which would be helpful to know how to cultivate the selection.  It is unclear whether 'Summer Drummer' is a hybrid, or just a selection of a species.  The one thing I do know, the name Summer Drummer is clever and will probably sell lots of bulbs.

My guess is the species represented in 'Summer Drummer', whether a pure species or a part of a hybrid situation, looks like either Allium ampeloprasum, A. porrum (the Leek; A. porrum is only known in cultivation, probably a centuries old derivation from Allium ampeloprasum, often listed as Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum), or less likely A. commutatum (closely related to A. ampeloprasum).  Allium ampeloprasum and porrum have stems that can reach 200 cm and 180 cm respectively (6'+ or up to 6' respectively), but the flower heads are listed as 8-9 cm in A. ampeloprasum, to 20 cm in A. porrum, the larger size flower heads of A. porrum more closely matching the stated size of 'Summer Drummer'.

Here's a link to an Italian site that shows Allium porrum:
http://luirig.altervista.org/schedeeu/ae/allium_porrum.htm

Compare the A. porrum photo in the link above, to any of the 3 photo links below, I think we have a match.  Notice the cute marketing on the 3rd image link.  Also notice the flower head size relative to a person's hand, looks like the heads are smaller than reported, maybe 5" (12.5 cm) across.
http://suttons.hostserver1.co.uk/im/pd/BUALL22613_3.jpg
http://gardenimport.com/spblvl3.php?lvl=Allium&nm=SUMMER_DRUMMER&ref=AL1670
http://img.visionspictures.sodatech.com/VISI/wprev/visi70351.jpg

Aha!  Found a picture showing the bud spathe, this is a clincher because the bud spathe on the three species I mention look like little pointed caps, and they slide off sideways as if hinged on the side of the inflorescence.  Don't you love a good mystery!
http://www.meeuwissenvoorhout.nl/shop/artikel.asp?aid=205 <---link overwritten and no longer pointing to the right photo :-(

Charles, what is the foliage like, do you have a picture?  The web descriptions say the foliage is corn like, which sounds like the broad, clasping leaves of A. ampeloprasum/porrum.

[externmed]

Hi Mark and all,
Sorry about the confusion.  Right now A. Summer Drummer looks very much like Hemerocallis; but ascending a bit, like corn.  Will try to get a photo next AM. (Will also try to dig before a hard frost)
Charles Swanson Masachusetts

[McDonough]

Hi Mark and all,
Sorry about the confusion.  Right now A. Summer Drummer looks very much like Hemerocallis; but ascending a bit, like corn.  Will try to get a photo next AM. (Will also try to dig before a hard frost)
Charles Swanson Masachusetts

From what I read, Allium porrum and A. ampeloprasum should be hardy perennials, and like many perenniating alliums they can have persistent fall/winter foliage.  I have no first hand experience with either species, so use your best judgement on how to overwinter... it might be worth leaving one bulb out over winter to see how it fairs.  Looking forward to seeing a photo of the growth... thanks Charles.

I did receive bulbils (very small) from a friend of A. ampeloprasum var. babingtonii, which is a bulbilliferous version of ampeloprasum, which I planted out... we'll see what happens.

[McDonough]

Hey Allium fans, I received an announcement today from Dr. Reinhard Fritsch that "some data and images of definitively determined accessions of our IPK Taxonomic Allium reference collection are now available via IPK Homepage (Institute of Plant Genetics in Gatersleben, Germany).  Keep this first link handy, because if you choose to look at any other database link, you can't get back to this home page.
http://www.ipk-gatersleben.de/Internet/Infrastruktur/Datenbanken/GenetischeRessourcen

I've been checking it out, and there is excellent information and photos available, showing many species that are otherwise difficult or impossible to find photos of.  The typus information, indicating where each accession was made, is also most useful.  There is much that can be accessed here, although some of the web linking and functionality can be tricky to figure out, but let me highlight the most useful items I've found so far.

Taxonomic Allium Reference Collection - currently 3784 records of Allium accessions, many with photographs.  Some steps on how best to use the resource:

a.  Go to: http://pgrc-35.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=265:1:2676694763249177
b.  Click on "Search allium data" at the top of the page, a huge list will appear.

1.  Since the list is not sorted alphabetically, use the drop-down list labeled - Select scientific name -  (photo 1)

2.  I selected Allium akaka, a list of 4 accessions shows.  Click on the left-hand document icon to display the first record.  (photo 2)

3.  The first record is displayed, if there are photos, thumbnail images show in the record. Use the left and right arrows in the record
     to cycle through the records, finding photos you want to look at.   (photo 3)

4.  Cycling through the records, it is interesting to see from the thumbnails the variations in the species.  (photo 4)

5.  From the drop-down list I moved on to Allium eriocoleum, a beautiful (and rare) yellow-flowered species.  (photo 5)

6.  Click on a thumbnail for an enlarged view, here showing Allium eriocoleum.  (photo 6)

There is also a List of Allium images from the Allium Database (this is separate from the photos available through the Taxonomic Allium Ref Collection)
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:83:4399216669677684

Have fun