Whatever else you plant this year, make room for this amazing Allium! It's not to be missed, a fragrant, highly unusual early summer bloomer that gives you not one but two "looks" on every bloomstem. You simply won't believe it, so be sure to place it in a highly visible spot where visitors can exclaim over its beauty!This 12- to 18-inch-high plant has a large, thick, sturdy central stem like other Allium, terminating in a bloomstalk that forms a giant sphere, with tiny flowers covering all sides. But unlike others, the bloomstems are stiff and strong, and all different lengths, so the lovely starry little pink blooms look like fireworks in the sky rather than a solid ball of color -- some are closer than others. The flowers last for weeks in mid-spring, and after they fall, the second 'season' of bloom begins. For when the florets have dropped, all the stiff, straight "spokes" of the stems create a giant tumbleweed of a bloom up to 18 inches in diameter!
Often called the Tumbleweed Onion, which captures the spicy sweetness of this plant's fragrance), A. schubertii makes a fantastic addition to Everlasting arrangements. The stems last for many months, and can be displayed alone or in a variety of combinations. Really showy and unusual, they liven up those tired old Statice and Florist's Poppies wonderfully!
Deer-resistant and unfriendly to insects and other small pests, Allium is useful in the garden as well as beautiful!
Give A. schubertii plenty of sunshine and well-drained soil that tends to be on the dry side. Plant the large bulbs 4 inches deep and about 8 inches apart for a sea of "tumbleweeds"! Zones 3-9.
