Allium 2013

Seems that most sites recommend warm/cold/cool, or at least cold stratification for Allium cyathophorum var farreri.

http://www.onrockgarden.com/germination-guide/allium-farreri  4C for 3 weeks then move to 20C for germination

http://tomclothier.hort.net/page02.html recommends Sow at 18-22ºC (64-71ºF) for 2-4 wks, move to -4 to +4ºC (24-39ºF) for 4-6 wks, move to 5-12ºC (41-53ºF) for germination, KLAS says the same thing.

Hope this is helpful.... Good luck with your seed, the packets I bought from Plant World all proved viable.

GreenRoofer wrote:

I'm trying to propagate what is labeled as Allium farreri (cyathophorum), and was sold to me by PlantWorldSeeds. Attempt is being made in a bottom watered 50/50 coco peat/sand.

The packet stated that no stratification was necessary. Can this be true?

In my experience, some Allium species will germinate under a variety of temperatures (another words, not temperature specific, stratification not necessary), and germination is in response to moisture levels.  Can even sow species like Allium flavum midsummer, flats outdoors (but not in full blast of summer sun where they will dry out quickly), but kept moist, they will germinate in about 2 weeks.  After a soaking rain, go check seed flats, should be good germination.

I haven't sown seed of A. cyathophorum var. farreri in some years now, but will do some experiments this year to validate my memory on this.

Allium formosum, a new species...

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112814645/kyrgyz-onion-species-dis...

stephenb wrote:

Allium formosum, a new species...

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112814645/kyrgyz-onion-species-dis...

Thanks for posting this Stephen, always interesting to learn of newly described species. The link you give shows a photo of Allium spathulatum, also a new species, to which newly described A. formosum is closely related.  For those who may not have noticed, there's a small link at the bottom of the article that goes to a full description of Allium formosum with comparitive drawing diagnostics between A. spathulatum and A. formosum. I plan on contacting Dr. Reinhard Fritsch to see if he has available some good photos of both species.  Here's a link to the article:
http://www.pensoft.net/journals/phytokeys/article/4130/allium-formosum-s...

While looking at new species and googling, I found another new one, "Allium aladaghense (Amaryllidaceae, Allieae), a new species of section Asteroprason from northeast of Iran" published in Phytotaxa, Volume (56), No (1), Year (2012-6) , Pages (28-34).  Can't get the whole article free, but here's a PDF preview, and a photo link:

Allium aladaghense, article (translated to English, poor translation):
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fa&u=http://vazeh.com/k-4509942-Allium%2520aladaghense&prev=/search%3Fq%3DAllium%2Baladaghense%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1350%26bih%3D538&sa=X&ei=N1RcUYi3EojB0QGCsoCoDg&ved=0CGIQ7gEwBw
Image:
http://cdn.yjc.ir/files/fa/news/1391/3/22/42595_132.jpg
PDF preview:
http://profdoc.um.ac.ir/pubs_files/p11028231.pdf

Janis Ruksans has a new web site, just gleaned this fact from the SRGC.  Take a look at the Allium offerings, it makes me weep, I'd need to mortgage my house to afford all of the beauties I want. Oh, to be so afflicted with plant lust :rolleyes:. Recognized leading expert on Allium, Dr. Reinhard Fritsch, visited Janis (last year I believe) and helped establish correct IDs on many of these rare offerings. I'm also surprised by just how many Western American species he is growing and offering; I have always found most of them very slow and difficult growers.
http://rarebulbs.lv/index.php/en/catalogue

McDonough wrote:

Janis Ruksans has a new web site, just gleaned this fact from the SRGC.  Take a look at the Allium offerings, it makes me weep, I'd need to mortgage my house to afford all of the beauties I want. http://rarebulbs.lv/index.php/en/catalogue

Mark,
at least you can buy directly from him!
We have to get someone with an import permit and a quarantine house to import for us and that's not easy! :(
At least we can look at the pics! ;D
cheers
fermi

two colour forms of Allium akaka I collected in Turkey and an unnamed species for Mark to work on.

Sorry about the delay Tony, been ignoring the forum, busy at work, then also busy in the garden.

Your Allium akaka forms are wonderful, the first portrait is perfection, the drying leaf tips rolling back like an Ionic column:
http://www.njcu.edu/programs/jchistory/Images/B_Images/Barrow_Mansion/Io...

I saw the suggestion on SRGC that the Allium sp. from Turkey might be "karputense", should be spelled Allium kharputense; it comes close to matching appearance, then another possibility comes to mind; Allium colchicifolium.

Being a bit more systematic about it, I used the Tubives resource again (Flora of Turkey) at:
http://turkherb.ibu.edu.tr/index.php

Then searched on the Kahramanmaraş province, it gives the following list of Allium native to that province, notice that neither kharputense nor colchicifolium are found in that province.

  Allium callidictyon
Allium tchihatschewii
Allium sivasicum
Allium paniculatum ssp. paniculatum
Allium pallens ssp. pallens
Allium glumaceum
Allium tauricola
Allium brevicaule
Allium macrochaetum ssp. macrochaetum
Allium scorodoprasum ssp. rotundum
Allium calyptratum
Allium vineale
Allium affine
Allium cardiostemon
Allium orientale
Allium asclepiadeum

Of that list, the only two possibilities are A. orientale and asclepiadeum.  I think it comes closest to A. orientale, widespread in Turkey. The Taxonomic Allium Reference Collection at Gatersleben has three collections from Antalya Turkey, with white flowers, that look similar to your plant both for foliage and flowers.

Mark

thanks for that reply and I think you may be right in A. orientale. I have to say it has not flourished and my recollection in the wild is of a much better more robust plant. It was in a very wet field which wolud be baked hard in summer and I do not have such conditions.

I love the A akaka which I collected myself in Eastern Turkey. In the wild the ones I saw were totally sessile and yet I have seen a picture in the wild looking just like mine. it must vary again with the conditions.

Spent all day yesterday walking woodlands, with a very good friend. Found plenty of native orchids and other superb woodlanders such as Paris quadrifolia, Lathraea squamaria and numerous others. For overall  :o  :o this area of Allium ursinum took some beating though.

Wow, now that's an impressive "mess load" of Allium, stunning in its utterly complete occupation of the area.  I would like to see such a sight in person one day.

Allium insubricum

Michael, beautiful flowering on A. insubricum, this and narcissiflorum are not easy to satisfy. I have about 25 seedlings of narcissiflorum from Tony Willis entering their 3rd year (from sowing the seed directly in the garden 09/2010), promising but still a long ways off from flowering size.

In full sun I grow Allium oreophilum 'Torch', a particularly rich color selection (and non-flopping too).  It is very slow to increase, have one small plant in bloom (to the left, out of view in the photo) that took 4-5 years from scratched-in-place sown seed.

McDonough wrote:

Michael, beautiful flowering on A. insubricum, this and narcissiflorum are not easy to satisfy. I have about 25 seedlings of narcissiflorum from Tony Willis entering their 3rd year (from sowing the seed directly in the garden 09/2010), promising but still a long ways off from flowering size.

Am I glad to hear that!  I have some seedling A. narcissiflorum from last year that are still exceedingly small.  A had though there was something wrong, but perhaps not! :)

I was recently given this potful of A. geyeri, destined eventually for my 'Summer Dry North American Plants' bed. It looks good for this species to me, but is there any others it may be confused with? Also cultivation tips much appreciated.

[quote=ronaldo]

I was recently given this potful of A. geyeri, destined eventually for my 'Summer Dry North American Plants' bed. It looks good for this species to me, but is there any others it may be confused with? Also cultivation tips much appreciated.

[/quote]

The identification is accurate, this is indeed Allium geyeri.  Note however, this is a plant of moist meadows and streamsides, not doing so well if planted in too dry a location.  As I found this species in Idaho, it grew in lightly shaded locations in very moist streamside soil. It doesn't need to have its feet wet to do well, they grow quite well in an open shady spot with good moisture-retentive soil.  I have them growing in sandy soil that's been layered over heavy moist rocky-clay soil.  Up on Pike's Peak (14,114' / 4,302 m) in Colorado, grows a dwarf form once known as A. pikeanaum (but now, just a synonym of geyeri), which can grow with leaves prostrate against the ground.  I grew this form for a while; in a lowland garden it grew upright to about 6", but was not a robust grower, and while it lasted for about 10 years it eventually dwindled away.

Thank you Mark, I'll choose another area of the garden for it, one with slightly more moisture retention. Wonderful information.

[quote=Longma]

 For overall  :o  :o this area of Allium ursinum took some beating though.[/quote]

Thanks for posting those AMAZING photos!  What a sight!

Beautiful allium, Michael!

[quote=Mark McD]

In full sun I grow Allium oreophilum 'Torch', a particularly rich color selection (and non-flopping too).  It is very slow to increase, have one small plant in bloom (to the left, out of view in the photo) that took 4-5 years from scratched-in-place sown seed.

[/quote]

It's a beauty.  I wonder why it is slow to bloom and increase compared to the species (Allium oreophilum), which seems to proliferate rapidly?

Other than that good things come to those who wait, I mean... :-)

[quote=Lori S.]

Other than that good things come to those who wait, I mean... :-)

[/quote]

Are those A, narcissiflorum Lori ? I've read that the flowers are erect as you show, whereas in A. insubricum they droop down. Whatever they are, they are a great looking group of Allium. Congrats!!

Lori can confirm, but I beileve the Allium that Lori shows is A. oreophilum, the regular species, often available in the autumn bulb bins when the Holland bulbs arrive each year, its more of a bright pink than some of the selected cultivars with very dark richly colored blooms.

I have some of these at my summer cabin but the sheep have destroyed a lot. I don't remember the name though

I believe both Aa. narcissisflorum and insubricum have pendant flowers

.  But narcissiflorum seed pods are erect, while insubricum's remain pendant.

Thanks for clarifying that Rick.  I was ( a little ) disappointed to see the pendant flowers on my plants. This is the first time they have flowered for me, in fact I don't even remember seeing any foliage for the last couple of years! I was given some seedlings seven years ago, from seed of Italian origin, as A. narcissiflorum. Since then many people have told me they won't be true to that species, but will be A. insubricum. Maybe now I'll find out when the seed pods form!! 

[quote=Mark McD]

Lori can confirm, but I beileve the Allium that Lori shows is A. oreophilum, the regular species, often available in the autumn bulb bins when the Holland bulbs arrive each year, its more of a bright pink than some of the selected cultivars with very dark richly colored blooms.

[/quote]

Yes, that's right, Mark.

One of Alliums collected in Kazakhstan by Panayoti Kelaidis is blooming, labeled as Allium sp. Kalbinsky Hills, out of Ust Kamenogorst, Kazakhstan, accession #1. Off hand it looks like Allium lineare, but will give it a more detailed eval soon. With non-stop rain, it's been devilishly hard to get decent photos.

=============================================================

Updated with some better images, the first two taken a couple days afterwards, bees and ants love the nectariferous blooms.

Then these two photos taken by my wife, as she is experimenting with her new DSLR camera.

I was recently given this lovely compact plant as Allium plummerae. I think ( hope ) it looks good for this species. The centre of each flower is deep pink on the day that it opens, but has turned to white by the next day. The leaves grow nicely erect, and it doesn't appear to 'flop' about as some Allium sp. seem prone to doing ( at least for me!). I like this one a lot, :-). Can anyone please advise if it will enjoy similar conditions to A. geyeri ? Also, do I need to avoid winter moisture for both species?

Looks like really large individual flowers for an allium.  The multi coloring of the faded flowers centers are always an added bonus. Bravo!

Mighty nice Betula nana(?) behind there.  I didn't know it took on such a ground covering habit.

Yes, each individual flower is 1/2 inch across. I'm hoping I can propagate it quickly as I'd very much like to have these in numerous spots in the garden.

Indeed it is Betula nana Rick, good call. We use them in many places in the garden, as they fill in with good deep green foliage where the spring bulbs have died back. They only seem to grow 6 - 8 inches high here, the long branches snaking out across the ground. 

Ron, good to see that you're growing Allium plummerae, a very fine species.  It is among the selected alliums I featured in Spring 2011 NARGS Rock Garden Quarterly, free download at the link below. Here's part of what I wrote about this plant:

Among the best American onions is one not to be typecast: Allium plummerae, a rare species with restricted distribution in the high mountains of southeastern Arizona and adjacent Sonora, Mexico, often found at 7000–8000 feet elevation. It grows in moist meadows, along stream banks, and occasionally on shaded rocky slopes, and accordingly prospers in the garden if given good soil with adequate moisture, although average garden soil suits it well. This is a hardy clump-forming plant that bulks up into fine specimens.

https://www.nargs.org/sites/default/files/free-rgq-downloads/VOL_69_NO_2.pdf

For those scared of alliums seeding around too much, with this species I have never found a single self-sown seedling in a decade and a half that I've grown it.

PS: I updated my post above with some better photos, on Allium sp. Kalbinsky Hills, Kazakhstan.

Regarding Allium plummerae,  if it doesn't self seed, is it still reasonably easy from seed? Seems it could take my climate as well!

Mark, I have to admit I had forgotten your excellent article on Alliums!

Allium narcissiflorum

As the seed matures, the seed head rises from the pendant to fully erect. Thanks for the ID tip Rick. 

Excellent to see this Ron, the defining characteristic between Allium narcissiflorum and insubricum. I can't help but notice the willow seed fluff in the background, what Salix are we seeing there :-)

Trond, Allium plummerae is easy from seed. My Allium garden is largely a disaster from 2 years of neglect (due to huge time constraints from my past jobs), but it's still growing and might make seed; I hope to start working on salvaging what's left of the garden.

Allium listera looks rather similar to A. ovalifolium; it came to me as Allium sp collected by Darrell Probst in China, I will show photos of 2 clones. What separates Allium ovalifolium and A. listera, is that A. listera is supposed to have more pronounced petioles to the leaf bases, versus being just a pronounced narrowing, and the base of the leaves in listera have lobes that exceed the petiole connection (slightly cordate).  Most important, in Allium listera, the outer perianth segments are much narrower than inner ones, but in ovalifolium the inner and outer segments are more or less equal.  Otherwise, they are very similar. 
Most photos I've seen of Allium ovalifolium tend to have more open heads with fewer florets, but I'm not sure if that's diagnostic.  My Allium listera plants have a lovely pink color to the pedicels, giving the flower heads a heart of pink, which is charming.

In all the years I've sown them in an attempt to increase my stock, only had 1 seed germinate, which didn't grow past the first year, not sure why it's so dang difficult to germinate.  Got seed 2 years ago of Allium ovalifolium from Lori Skulski, they germinated well and are surviving, looking forward to comparing them.

Here are a bunch of views of the smaller of the two clones of A. listera.  The much larger clone is still in bud, justing starting to open now, always flowers a couple weeks later on taller stems and bigger bloom heads.

Allium listera isn't unattractive Mark .As you say the pink is charming.

Cheers Dave.

[quote=Mark McD]

Excellent to see this Ron, the defining characteristic between Allium narcissiflorum and insubricum. I can't help but notice the willow seed fluff in the background, what Salix are we seeing there :-)

[/quote]

It's Salix reticulata Mark. I've posted a picture of it here -

https://www.nargs.org/forum/groundhugging-shrubs?page=6

Are there general thoughts on the best time to transplant/divide alliums according to type?

For instance: bulbous, rhizomatous, moisture loving, desert, alpine, etc.

I do also grow what I thought was Allium listera but according to your description it doesn't fit quite. Sorry for the bad pictures but it was a little wind and the long thin stems (35 cm) waved. If necessary I can try to take better pics tomorrow.

I have also two different plants, one has pink pedicels like Mark's, the other is all white. They flower at the same time (now). As you can see the leaf base is not cordate. Can this be Allium ovalifolium?

Allium sikkimense

Allium stellatum from seed also, three variations from the same wild population a few counties west of here.  Mostly, these vary in bloom sequence.

I wasn't sure whether Allium sacculiferum seed would require cold condition.  (Thanks for the seed, Mark!)  I planted them 7 February, place one pot outside and one inside under lights.  I found they germinate readily without a cold treatment.  In fact, the cold temperature put them into a dormancy that the 2 months of cold seemed not sufficient to break.  Only 2 seeds emerged, while from the same number of seeds in just a warm treatment yielded more thann a dozen.  I have a couple already producing a flower stalk in this same season.

I moved my late blue alliums around a couple of years ago, and have mixed them up.  (It was late in the season when I was burnt-out on record-keeping.)  Mark, could you please tell me if I'm getting these IDs correct:

This one is 14" tall in flower; the flowers seem to be campanulate... Allium sikkimense?   But are the pedicels as short as they should be?

This one also seems to have campanulate flowers.  The foliage is 4" tall, and the tallest flower stalks are 6".... another (dwarf) Allium sikkimense?

Pretty sure this is Allium cyaneum from the starry flowers and long, exserted stamens; flower stems are 6" tall:

Time to catch up, much to comment on.

Trond, your Allium might be listera, a bit hard to tell.  I tried looking for one tell-tale characteristic, that is the inner tepals on A. listera are very narrow, 1-2mm, and noticeably narrower than the outer tepals. In A. ovalifolium, the inner and outer tepals are nearly equal in width. I can't make out the inner-outer tepals clearly enough in your photo to tell.  The leaf base is inconclusive because it can be variable, deeply cordate to merely rounded on ovalifolium, and cordate to rounded in listera, so tepal width is the prime determining factor.  By the way, my too forms are similar in that one has more pronounced pink pedicels, the other has white ones.

Rick, nice capture on Allium sikkimense, my form looks very similar to yours, but I've not been able to get a good photo of it.  Love the A. stellatum forms this time of year, one of the prettiest alliums with a wildflower look to it.  Interesting about your experience germination A. sacculiferum, congratulations on getting buds so soon.  At first flowering it might have an undersized head that's open and not as densely flowered as it will become with maturity.

Lori, the first 2 photos showing a tall form of Allium sikkimense are mouth watering, an extra fine form of A. sikkimense, just look at the flower head density and well-formed florets.  The dwarf 4" one does look like A. sikkimense too.  The bottom photos do look like A. cyaneum, not only with long exserted stamens, but very narrow foliage.  From your seed a couple years back, I have plants coming along of the extra nice white-flowered A. nutans that you showed recently, and ovalifolium, both taking their sweet time to bulk up.

Back to Rick, your question about best time to move/divide Allium based on their type, is a good one, and apropos given that I have started into a massive effort recovering my "Allium garden" after 2-1/2 years of neglect and zero weeding. This will be a total redo from scratch, every last one will be dug up, to carefully remove various invasive grasses and vetches that took over.  But I'll get back to this later.

Another blue-flowered Allium rarely seen is A. henryi, from China.  It has the blue open cups of A. cyaneum, except with flat, moderately broad leaves.  It is no taller than 6", and can be a shy bloomer.  At least this year rabbits did not eat the flower buds off, as they do most years.  This came to me from Chen Yi in 2003, misidentified as Allium cyathophorum (I was looking to get the type species, not var. farreri), but I'm happy with the misidentification, which I keyed to A. henryi.  It hasn't ever set seed, or at least, not that I recall. Some hasty low-light views from this morning before work.  It has distinctive oval ovaries that are taller than wide, and a pale apple green color.

[quote=Mark McD]

Time to catch up, much to comment on.

Trond, your Allium might be listera, a bit hard to tell.  I tried looking for one tell-tale characteristic, that is the inner tepals on A. listera are very narrow, 1-2mm, and noticeably narrower than the outer tepals. In A. ovalifolium, the inner and outer tepals are nearly equal in width. I can't make out the inner-outer tepals clearly enough in your photo to tell.  The leaf base is inconclusive because it can be variable, deeply cordate to merely rounded on ovalifolium, and cordate to rounded in listera, so tepal width is the prime determining factor.  By the way, my too forms are similar in that one has more pronounced pink pedicels, the other has white ones.

[/quote]

Mark, now I have taken a loser look using a magnifying glass. It is clear that on both plants one whorl of the tepals is much broader than the other (about 3x). However it looks as it is the inner whorl (petals) that is the broadest but they are reflexed and the outer whorl (sepals) is incurved!

So that means my plants are A. listera.

[quote=Hoy]

Mark McD wrote:

Time to catch up, much to comment on.

Trond, your Allium might be listera, a bit hard to tell.  I tried looking for one tell-tale characteristic, that is the inner tepals on A. listera are very narrow, 1-2mm, and noticeably narrower than the outer tepals. In A. ovalifolium, the inner and outer tepals are nearly equal in width. I can't make out the inner-outer tepals clearly enough in your photo to tell.  The leaf base is inconclusive because it can be variable, deeply cordate to merely rounded on ovalifolium, and cordate to rounded in listera, so tepal width is the prime determining factor.  By the way, my too forms are similar in that one has more pronounced pink pedicels, the other has white ones.

Mark, now I have taken a loser look using a magnifying glass. It is clear that on both plants one whorl of the tepals is much broader than the other (about 3x). However it looks as it is the inner whorl (petals) that is the broadest but they are reflexed and the outer whorl (sepals) is incurved!

So that means my plants are A. listera.

[/quote]

Trond, you are correct, I was rushing this morning and my dyslexic tendency set in, and I reversed the characteristics, it is the outer whorl of tepals that are the narrow ones, sorry about the confusion.  It does indeed look as if you have A. listera.  :-)

Mark, you are forgiven! My mistakes are usually far worse than that!

Now that I know I have A. listera I can look for ovalifolium  (and Allium plummerae)  ;-)

Super allium specimens, Lori!

Flower scapes of the A. sikkimense I recently posted are 8 inches, and I swear the flowers are more blue (rather than purple) than ever this year.  I wonder if it is because of the cooler summer weather.  While it is usually 80-90+ F at this time of year, high temps have only been in the 70-80F range.

This past Saturday we had our August Chapter plant sale.  Betty Ann Addison, owner of Rice Creek Gardens donated a whole flat of really choice plants.  Among them was Allium cyaneum.

That's quite a bounty of choice plants there Rick, Allium included.  I said it before and I'll say it again, would like to go to one of your Chapter plant sales!

Lots and lots of Alliums coming into bloom, inspiring me to start a salvage operation on my 2-1/2 year neglected garden, amazing how quickly an unweeded garden can be engulfed in weeds, tree seedlings, and vines.

Of particular bounty now, are the A. senescens x nutans hybrids, in innumerable shades from white, pink, rose, lilac, and rose-purple.  Here are a couple:

Large heads of a lovely pure soft pink form.

A view showing two different forms, the main one still in bud is particularly deep color.  The budded globes in the background, are still a week or so away from opening, tight heads of a muted rose-purple color.
 

[quote=Mark McD]

Lots and lots of Alliums coming into bloom, inspiring me to start a salvage operation on my 2-1/2 year neglected garden, amazing how quickly an unweeded garden can be engulfed in weeds, tree seedlings, and vines.

[/quote]

2 1/2 year is along time, Mark. My garden is a complete jungle in just 1 month when I am away in summer.

Your onions (those you show us at least) are still superb though!

[quote=RickR]

Flower scapes of the A. sikkimense I recently posted are 8 inches, and I swear the flowers are more blue (rather than purple) than ever this year.  I wonder if it is because of the cooler summer weather.  While it is usually 80-90+ F at this time of year, high temps have only been in the 70-80F range.

This past Saturday we had our August Chapter plant sale.  Betty Ann Addison, owner of Rice Creek Gardens donated a whole flat of really choice plants.  Among them was Allium cyaneum.

[/quote]

I would love to participate in one of your plant sales, Rick!

All my Allium zebdanense are regrowing!  Is this suppose to happen?  They are two and three years old from seed and some bloomed this year.  They came up about 2 weeks ago .....the ones I have planted in the ground under a tree as well as ones still in pots.  I don't recall this happening before, but then again, my pot ghetto is so large that I could have missed them. (this "indecision" emoticon needs a lot of work...)

I've grown this species for almost 40 years, but never have seen an autumn sprouting. Do you have a photo of what it looked like in flower? Your "pot ghetto", very funny, I can relate to the phrase

I feel like I shouldn't complain about emoticons, they suddenly just showed up and they're fun to use, but half of them don't look much like what they're supposed to be emoting.

I have a lot to catch up with regarding Allium, I've been delinquent

Here's an interesting tidbit. Back in 2010 I received a form of Allium sikkimense; it has small tight clusters of blue (not nearly as nice as Lori's form), seems sensitive to heat and dryness, the flowers often abort or barely open in the midsummer heat, and it never sets seed.  Today I lifted half of the small clumps, and replanted.  Was surprised to see young sprouting offsets, but they're on "vertical" stolons, about 2" straight up from the parent bulb, essentially lifting them above the soil!  I separated the vertical stolons and planted them at normal depth, has anyone seen this before?  The behavior seems strange to me.

In the photo, the red arrow points to a young shoot on a vertical stolon over 2" above the parent bulbs, to the right is another green shoot on a vertical stolon.

My supposed A. zebdanense:

Pretty inflorescence!  It's not Allium zebdanense, but is a member of Section Codonoprasum, the two long dried spathe segments are a hallmark of this group (same group that Allium paniculatum is in). In a recent paper on Section Codonoprasum in Turkey, an author writes "Sect. Codonoprasum Reich. is the largest and the most complicated section in Turkey, where 44 taxa are represented".  There are many dozens more species in Europe to Asia, with particular development in Greece and other Mediterranean areas, so it might be a challenge narrowing down an ID. Recommend posting on SRGC, there are some Allium experts there (like Janis Ruksans) that might be able to narrow down the possibilities.

I'll take an off-hand stab at it, reminds me of Allium staticiforme.

[quote=Mark McD]

Lots and lots of Allium coming into bloom, inspiring me to start a salvage operation on my 2-1/2 year neglected garden, ............

[/quote]

Hi Mark, how is the renovation going? Hope you don't mind me asking , but I was wondering if many species survived the intense competition from the weeds, grasses etc.?

Ron, I'm glad you asked

Days are getting shorter, so I have approximately 1-1/2 hrs after work to make a bit of progress, and typically just one of the two weekend days can be devoted to garden efforts, but I'm making definite progress.

Some views of the garden in the early stages of renovation, first a couple photos of the garden overrun with highly invasive field grass.

Goldenrod can come in so quick, and in just 2 years time make massive patches with dense turf-like root mass that kills everything else in its way.

A friend gave with Hemerocallis 'Ariel', a delightful tall and narrow small-flowered type with little yellow, bronze-flushed bugles, but also with it was a perennial sweet pea (Lathyrus).  For 5 years or more I pulled every shoot I would see, but it laughs at such feeble attempts at eradication, it MUST BE dug out.  It was like digging a tree trunk out, the incredible roots like thick ropes.  In this shot I got the daylily out, I'm surprised it is still alive, as it was being strangled by the sweet pea root mass, the vine going out 8' in all directions, a 16' diameter circle of destruction.  The photo shows just one of the radiating branches still attached to the daylily.

Methodically digging out and separating salvaged Allium plants, to have roots cleaned of invading weeds, and replanted.

Couple views of the excavation progress:

There was no obvious appearance this year (or last year) of some very small bulbous species, such as the tiny Allium parciflorum, but I was able to find about 100 minuscule bulbs, resprouting as they do in autumn, this is painstaking tedious work, but well underway.

More to come:

Thanks for the update Mark. Looks to be a sizeable project, but one which, I'm sure, will be well worth it. It would be such a shame if your collection was overwhelmed and dwindled over the years. I'll be very interested in your thoughts, upon completion, as to which did ok, or held their own, or had severely declined. I'm seeking to expand my plantings, amongst scrub and 'thuggish' grasses, in coming years and hope to include at least a few of the 'choice' Allium sp. if possible.

[quote=Mark McD]

More to come:

[/quote]

Looking forward to it, 

Wow, I guess I had no idea how really extensively overrun that garden is/was!  Mark, your tenacity to get the job done is inspiring.  How I envy those that grow so many different plant and larger gardens, but this is exactly why I am reluctant to keep expanding what I have: I don't want to have to spend the time maintaining them!

Yes, there are areas that are terribly overrun with aggressive weeds, other spots that are more easily salvageable. You're wise to consider the size of one's garden, all too easy to take on too much.  But I was able to maintain this garden for over 20 years without too much problem, it really has only been the last 2-1/2 years where my work situation dictated so much of my time.  I'm inspired, by seeing what has survived, to give them a new lease on life.  One key is, to make gardens that as sustainable as possible, something I must work on developing better techniques for. 

Before I go into some of my salvage operations, here are some nice autumn flowering alliums that I've been enjoying, looking really good this year due to a long string of perfect late summer-autumn weather.  Two views of Allium sacculiferum, one that goes around as Allium aff. thunbergii DJH (Dan Hinkley) 272, a very showy small allium with dense globular heads, unlike the effuse heads on Allium thunbergii. I have this growing in a woodsy part shaded bed among Epimedium and other woodlanders.

The next two are Allium pseudojaponicum, this is one I've wondered about for 2 decades, looks similar to thunbergii in bloom, but has flat leaves +4 mm wide (not three-sided hollow leaves as in thunbergii). The newer keys separate this species on account of the flat foliage and no teeth on the stamens.  This plant came to me as Allium taquetii (syn. of thunbergii) from the US National Arboretum, it has taken these two decades for the taxonomy to catch up and additional species to be defined around the thunbergii-virgunculae alliance, to be able to apply a name to it. This one is growing in a grass-infested area, so it's scheduled to be rescued, but seems to be doing fine on its own so far.

My favorite is a robust white form of Allium thunbergii that I find to be a particularly good garden plant, growing about 14"-16" tall. It is stronger growing than some other white forms I have tried.  In one photo, you'll see Allium sacculiferum in the background, for size comparison.

The last one is a delicate form of Allium stellatum - ex, Carroll Co, Arkansas, grown from seed sent to me by Aaron Floden. Has been flowering for weeks, about a half dozen stalks, the small heads of light pink are delightful upon close inspection.

Two of the Allium sacculiferum that I grew this year form your seed, Mark, are blooming now.   I took this one to today's Chapter meeting, and ended up auctioning it off.  Anything with a flower, especially at this time of year, commands a high price!

(And if anyone needs to know what a dandelion seed looks like, that's what is hanging down on the left of the second pic)

Rick, it's so satisfying seeing this, happy that you had good results from the seed, and already you shared it with others!  The heads on your young plants will get bigger and much more densely-flowered in coming years.  I should get good seed set this year, although I probably gave away half of what I had, this plant is in high demand, and as you suggest, what's not to love about a small bulbous plant flowering this time of year (and hardy). The close-up photograph is really a fine capture.

[quote=Mark McD]...and already you shared it with others![/quote]

I donated a couple seedlings this past spring, too.

The green ovaries that are already so prominent on new flowers really complement the petal coloring.  This bicolor effect is very pleasing.  Not so noticeable on my pic, but easily seen on yours, Mark. 

https://www.nargs.org/sites/default/files/forum-images/Allium_sacculiferum_DJH_closeup_09-29-2013rs12aa.jpg

Stunning Allium sp. Mark and Rick. 

I only grow a couple of species, but have a feeling this may change ! Are there many months when an Allium isn't in flower?

Allium bodeanum - appears to be a shorter version of A. cristophii

I have some seedlings of Allium peninsulare, but being impatient I also bought some bulbs last fall - the first of the bought ones is starting to open

cheers

fermi

Allium peninsulare is now fully open

cheers

fermi

A rather common one, Allium moly, which I've never had flower before here in Redesdale!

cheers

fermi

Gee, Allium moly for me has mature foliage even when buds are present let alone flowering.

Hi Rick,

if you look closely there is one rather ratty looking leaf showing! The others are below the level of the photo - they don't look as attractive as yours!

cheers

fermi

Allium thunbergii album going strong.  Ozawas has only a few flowers open so far.

That's a lovely white allium, Rick.

Another American allium in bloom for us, Allium abramsii

Grown from Seedex seed I think,

cheers

fermi

From Flora of North America:

Allium abramsii

Leaves persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing,...

So there is only one leaf, and it grows through your winter?

[quote=RickR]

From Flora of North America:

Allium abramsii

Leaves persistent, withering from tip by anthesis, 1, basally sheathing,...

So there is only one leaf, and it grows through your winter?

[/quote]

Hi Rick,

yes, the flower-stem emerges from near the base and the foliage isn't phased by our mild winters,

cheers

fermi

I have a number of American alliums grown from seed which seem rather similar

This one came as A. dichlamydeum but I think it's more likely to be A. bolanderi

This one was labelled A. bolanderi

This is a seedling A. peninsulare

Allium abramsii as seen above

cheers

fermi

A few more onions in the garden! This one was purchased just last weekend as Allium acuminatum, at least that's what the seller thinks it is! Any comment, Mark?

In the garden Allium acutiflorum has started to gently self-seeded into this part of the garden, the Pinnacle Bed,

Another drumstick type, Allium amethystinum, is less intent on spreading but propagates easily by offsets,

cheers

fermi

Here's a more up-to-date pic of the Allium which I got as A. dichlamydeum but which I'd decided was more likely to be A. bolanderi; why I decided that is unclear to me now! I wonder if Mark or some other allium expert can comment on it,

cheers

fermi

Hi Fermi, nice Alliums, and I promised you on SRGC that I would respond to the questions on identifications of these American Allium you posted. As usual, along with the holiday rush, comes the huge work rush to get stuff done by the holidays.

Posted on SRGC, was this special announcement on a new monograph; for Allium fans, it's a must-download, enjoy.

Alliums 2013 topic on SRGC Forum, this is the starting point on discussing the new book, and shows the color photo.
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10020.msg288775#msg288775

"A Taxonomic Review of Allium subg. Melanocrommyum in Iran"
by Reinhard M. Fritsch and Mehrdad Abbasi

Not only is this publication monumental and revolutionary in every respect, the 244 page PDF documents full of keys, highly detailed plant descriptions, maps, and color photographs, is free to download, here's the link:
http://www.ipk-gatersleben.de/fileadmin/content-ipk/content-ipk-ressourcen/Download/IrMeRevAllN.pdf

[quote=Mark McD]

..... for Allium fans, it's a must-download ......

[/quote]

...... and, I would say, for anyone who has the remotest interest in 'Rock Garden' plants, 

A truly very special work. A big thank you for drawing our attention to it Mark, and perhaps more so, a huge THANK YOU to the authors for ensuring its widespread availability. Surely this approach to dissemination of information will lead to a much wider interest in the subject,  Perhaps NARGS may write to the authors on behalf of us all??

A couple of Allium favum ssp tauricum grown from AGS Seedex seed a few years ago,

cheers

fermi

This is what I have as Allium saxatile; the first pic shows the intriguing way the flower-heads are nodding until the florets are ready to open,

cheers

fermi

Hi Fermi, I have several forms of Allium saxatile, this pink one looks nearly identical to one that I grow, it's fairly robust. And yes, the buds do nod initially giving it an interesting look. 

It's -23C (-10 F) this morning, with a fresh 50 cm of snow, sunny but not warming up much past -15C (5 F).  I still haven't cleaned my Allium seed collections from this year, must do so, then sow, and any surplus I will offer up here.

Hi Mark,

this might even be from you originally! I bought the bulbs around 2001 from Discovery Bulbs which was run by Murray Cubis and I'm sure he was a member of NARGS at that time. I did get seed from you via the NARGS 2000 Seedex but never got them to flowering size

Here's another look at the flower-head and the buds are now upright and their florets about to pop,

cheers

fermi

[quote=Mark McD]

... I still haven't cleaned my Allium seed collections from this year, must do so, then sow, and any surplus I will offer up here.

[/quote]

How's the seed cleaning going, Mark; I've collected A. acutiflorum seed but lucked out with the western Americans. However I have a number of Allium species seed from Overseas to sow soon!

These pics are from a couple of weeks ago,

Allium sphaerocephalon, one of the commoner "drumstick" types, which seems to develop a lean despite being in good sun; I didn't get a pic in its earlier phase with the green (immature buds) top and purple lower part being the open flowers,

cheers

fermi