Allium 2010

[McDonough]

Hello onion mavens, here is an intriguing little onion photographed by Panayoti Kelaidis on is 2009 expedition to Mongolia, sadly this one was not among the collections made.  I'm parsing through the 1995 publication in Feddes Repertorium 106 (1995) 1-2, pp 59-81, The Genus Allium L. in the Flora of Mongolia by Nicolai Friesen, to see if I can match up an ID.  Since this short publication is basically an enumeration of species and their distribution, I'll have to resort to species descriptions elsewhere, such as Flora of the USSR, and possibly Flora of China, depending on where in Mongolia the photo was taken.  A really cute onion, whatever it is.

[McDonough]

Here are a series of links showing 4 species (all related) that were under consideration for Panayoti's Mongolian Allium ID.  At first I thought it was A. mongolicum, but I'm quite certain it is A. vodopjanovae, a species described by Nikolai Friesen in 1995 splitting off this few-flowered form with semi-nutant flowers from A. mongolicum.  Do check out the Allium mongolicum links, why isn't this species in cultivation... it is the most common onion found growing over most of Mongolia, and really adorable in every way.

Allium bellulum
http://www.bioaltai-sayan.ru/regnum/pict-p/photo/Allium_bellulum_fot.jpg
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/69601.html

Allium mongolicum
species desc: http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/floragreif/?flora_search=Taxon&taxon_id=15
photo record: http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/floragreif/?flora_search=Image&record_id=13063
large image:  http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/floragreif/floragreif-content/Kr03/25-08-2003-IMG_0774.jpg
large image2: http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/floragreif/floragreif-content/Kr03/17-08-2003-IMG_0441.jpg
roots & bulb coats: http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/floragreif/?flora_search=Image&record_id=10313
http://www.bioaltai-sayan.ru/regnum/pict-p/photo/Allium_mongolicum_fot.jpg
http://www.bjkp.gov.cn/bjkpzc/tszr/zwdg/lsmy/211454.shtml

Allium vodopjanovae
http://www.bioaltai-sayan.ru/regnum/pict-p/photo/Allium_vodopjanovae_fot.jpg

Allium vodopjanovae - zoomable herbarium specimen identified by N. Friesen 2008
http://greif.uni-greifswald.de/floragreif/wp-content/uploads/scan_B12-09/template.php?i=Alli-vodo-GFW-229_88

Allium tenuissimum
http://houmingfei.blogspot.com/2009/04/5_01.html

Update:  I have heard back from Dr. Nicolai Friesen, an expert in the genus Allium in such regions as Siberia and Mongolia, and he confirmed my ID of Panayoti's dwarf pink-flowered Mongolian Allium as A. vodopjanovae.

[McDonough]

Here is another allium species photographed in Mongolia by Panayoti Kelaidis in 2009.

This allium is surely A. amblyophyllum (platyspathum ssp. amblyophyllum), a species very close to A. carolinianum (among its synonyms are varieties of A. platyspathum, such as A. platyspathum Schrenk var. falcatum Regel), and also close to A. hymenorrhizum.

Allium carolinianum is not recorded for Mongolia, although A. hymenorrhizum is.

Allium amblyophyllum
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/27709.html
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/17930.html
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/24368.html
...photo showing whole plant, and tapered leaf petioles
http://www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/3178.html

Update:  I have heard back from Dr. Nicolai Friesen, an expert in the genus Allium in such regions as Siberia and Mongolia, and he has identified Panayoti's Mongolian Allium as A. platyspathum.

[Hoy]

A cross between chives and leek! I like it.

[McDonough]

I often sow Allium seed in late fall or early winter, but I was surprised to see very quick germination on two species, A. obliquum and A. pseudoflavum.  I didn't expect germination this early, nor do I want germination now, as surely many or most of the seedlings will not persist once the real winter temperatures arrive.  I don't have a greenhouse nor coldframe, so I'm debating whether to bring these two flats to my basement windowsill for the winter.  Thanks to the NARGS & SRGC forumists who shared this seed with me.

[Hoy]

Mark, is it not possible to keep the trays outside and cover with dry leaves or another insulation material and a sheet of plastic?

[McDonough]

Mark, is it not possible to keep the trays outside and cover with dry leaves or another insulation material and a sheet of plastic?

Sure, if I decide to leave them out, I would certainly do something to protect them, but given that they germinated just very recently, the seedlings will not have had time to develop any true bulbs, and seedlings will be subject to out right winter kill.  One can sow seed of species like A. flavum and other Codonoprasum section alliums when the seed ripens in July, and they germinate quickly in summer but seedlings will still have at least 3 months to develop and get settled in, then overwinter fine.  From previous experience, I find that late-showing seedlings like these have a very low chance of surviving the full brunt of winter, even with some protection.  I should've sown the seed later in the season 

[RickR]

Bummer.  I had the same thing happen to me with Allium wallichii last season.  But being single, I can use my house (and my refrigerator) any way I like.  I grew them inside, along with Corydalis wilsonii and Delosperma bosseranum.

I brought my Ranunculus gramineus seeded pot inside before fall temps arrived for exactly that reason, too.  Last season, they germinated in the fall, just as they are supposed to (I discovered), but it was too late to survive the winter, and they didn't make it.  This time, I will start wtheir cool down in February.

[McDonough]

I brought my Ranunculus gramineus seeded pot inside before fall temps arrived for exactly that reason, too.  Last season, they germinated in the fall, just as they are supposed to (I discovered), but it was too late to survive the winter, and they didn't make it.  This time, I will start wtheir cool down in February.

So Rick, did the Ranunculus gramineus fail because you waited too long with the seedlings outdoors, exposed to too much freezing; or because once indoors the warmer temps were not to their liking?  Tonight, I brought my flats of seedlings of both Alliums inside, as it is supposed to go down to 20 F tonight.  I made room for them on my single basement window (I have two basement windows, but only one of them is "mine"  ) The problem is, this is a heated space... it's my fully finished basement office that my wife and I share, so the warm temps can be a problem for overwintering plants and seedlings.

[RickR]

So Rick, did the Ranunculus gramineus fail because you waited too long with the seedlings outdoors, exposed to too much freezing; or because once indoors the warmer temps were not to their liking?  

I waited to long with the seedlings outdoors...

A thought...if it is amenable with your wife, you could box in the window, taking advantage of the cold that seeps through the window, and making it a "cold greenhouse."

[McDonough]

A thought...if it is amenable with your wife, you could box in the window, taking advantage of the cold that seeps through the window, and making it a "cold greenhouse."

Good one Rick   Not even going to "go there"; some battles are worth fighting for, others aren't.

[McDonough]

Update:  I have heard back from Dr. Nicolai Friesen, an expert in the genus Allium in such regions as Siberia and Mongolia, and he has identified Panayoti's Mongolian Allium as A. platyspathum... I was close, but very happy to have Dr. Friesen's expert ID.
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=177.msg5043#msg5043

Dr. Friesen has confirmed as correct my ID of A. vodopjanovae on Panayoti's small pink-flowered Mongolian allium
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=177.msg4963#msg4963

[externmed]

Allium Summer Drummer
Made it through the Z6a winter at 14 inches high, with 20% die-back on some leaves.  Deep fairly constant snow this winter.  (had been dormant going into its first winter)
Now continuing to ascend it's leafy stalk.
Will photograph when it has finished growing.
Charles Swanson
Z6a Massachusetts USA

[McDonough]

Allium Summer Drummer
Made it through the Z6a winter at 14 inches high, with 20% die-back on some leaves.  Deep fairly constant snow this winter.  (had been dormant going into its first winter)
Now continuing to ascend it's leafy stalk.
Will photograph when it has finished growing.
Charles Swanson
Z6a Massachusetts USA

Thanks for the update Charles, can't wait to see what this thing looks like.  We can finish out this 'Summer Drummer' mystery here in the Allium 2010 topic, and new Allium additions should go into the Allium 2011 topic.  

[externmed]

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.