Mary Sue wrote: “These discussions on what grows well for some and not so well for others and is a problem for others are very interesting. I'm amazed that Jim McKenney is so enthusiastic about Allium triquetrum.” The enthusiasm I was expressing was based on the appearance of the plant: I know nothing yet about its behavior as a garden plant in our climate. Since I’ve known about the plant for decades, this first time blooming in the garden allowed me to close a long open chapter. But since two of the responses to my mention of Allium triiquetrum have been in the form of heartfelt warnings about its invasive potential, you’ve not got me wondering if I’ve introduced another lesser celandine. I have a hunch that if it’s as bas as some of you are suggesting, it would already be here: after all, it’s a species long in both cultivation and in commerce, and people have been planting bulbs here for centuries. Our climate is not particularly bulb friendly. For instance, there are very few bulbs in the native flora. In the centuries during which people have gardened in this area, relatively few bulbs have jumped the fence and established themselves in the local flora. I hope that turns out to be true for Allium triquetrum, too. Mary Sue also commented on the difficulty of keeping various Allium in her garden when they are planted in the ground. The various Allium I’ve tried over the years seem to take care of themselves pretty well, sometimes under conditions which surprise me. For instance, I have plants of Allium cristophii which have been in a thickly planted, raised, relatively shaded bed for years – and they continue to do well. In fact, it’s a curious thing but most of the big middle eastern Allium seem to do better here in shady areas of the garden than is the sunniest parts. In the very sunny areas they seem much more prone to various bulb rots; in the shade the persist indefinitely. That is true of garden tulips, too: in the sunny areas they do not persist, but in the shady areas they often do. A few years ago I saw a local garden where Allium zebdanense had made itself at home, but hardly to the point of being a pest. The only Allium which is likely to be a pest here (other than Allium vineale in the lawn) is Allium tuberosum, but that one is so useful in the kitchen that few will complain too much about that. More onions, please! Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, USDA zone 7, where it's holy moly time again. My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/