I find that sterility among Allium species to be a rarity, not something

"often" occurs.

Example: I have numerous forms of Allium schoenoprasum, and in two forms

seem to be "nearly" sterile and produce precious little seed, but most

of chives produce masses of seed. All the forms interbreed readily.

Apomixis is certainly known within the genus (the ability to produce seed
asexually), so that can be a factor.

Weather conditions can be the appearance of certain species not being
fertile. In a few years, if it's dry enough, the Melanocrommyum section

will produce lots of seed, but there are many years in a row where they

set a single seed among many species (this year was such a year, way too

way and tropical downpours).

A few of the named "big ball" hybrids, such as the famous 'Globe Master"
(macleanii x cristophii), are reportedly sterile, the claim largely borne

my experience. To see this allium, here's a wiki picture showing a young
inflorescence:

But one thing I do know, my garden is FULL of Allium hybrid seedlings, and
the range of possibilties seems to grow each year. Many species freely
hybridize with one another, most often among similar sections of the

among the Rhiziridium alliums angulosum, senescens, nutans, rubens.

hybrids among more distant species, such as between the American cernuum

stellatum with the European and Asian nutans, senescens, and rubens, fire

the imagination. There are no shortage of hybrids here.

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

alliums, bulbs, penstemons, hardy hibiscus, western
american alpines, iris, plants of all types!
_______________________________________________
pbs mailing list
pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php