Tiny bulbs

Antennaria@aol.com Antennaria@aol.com
Mon, 16 Feb 2004 09:26:44 PST
There are lots of dwarf Allium that are suitable for trough culture.  In 
fact, there are a number of photos of Alliums in one of my troughs posted to the 
PBS wiki.  Here are some links:

Allium albidum ssp. caucasicum is a species from Turkey that keeps is green 
strap leaves throughout the growing season, and little clusters of white 
flowers in July-August.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

The Japanese Allium togasii, and the Mongolian Allium tuvinicum are small 
enough to consider in a trough... both species shown on the aforementioned wiki 
page.

Allium flavum ssp. tauricum and many allied species, present an assortment of 
floriferous dwarf onions that look good in a trough.  Besides nearly 
prostrate forms of flavum ssp. tauricum, there is kurtzianum, sibthorpianum, and 
smaller forms of paniculatum, to name but a few.  To see some of these, go to:
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

By far one of the most delightful small onions in a trough, is the Turkish 
Allium sibthorpianum.  Go to the page listed in the previous URL to see some 
good photos of this species growing in a trough.  I added a couple new photos, 
including the "Alliums_in_trough" photo in the link below.  It shows a trough 
with Allium sibthorpianum, and a couple of miniature forms of Allium flavum ssp. 
tauricum in pastel white tones.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…

Another species that I grow in a trough, because it is too easily swamped by 
other plants in the open garden, is Allium moschatum, with short, firm, 
thread-thin leaves and small white or pinkish flowers on wiry 4-5" stems, flowering 
in July-August. It is growing in the same trough as some of my other alliums.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

There are many American species of Allium that are really tiny and are best 
grown in containers or troughs, but I'll only mention one here.  Allium 
perdulce, from the central and southwestern plains states, is so slow growing that it 
is best maintained in pots or containers.  The rich pink flowers on 4-5" 
stems are powerfully perfumed like sweet carnations, so planting them in a trough 
will make it easier to enjoy the enticing fragrance.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…


Mark McDonough Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States 
antennaria@aol.com "New England" USDA Zone 5
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