I can second the endorsement of Dr. Vlastimil Pilous' seed list. I've often wondered why more of the fantastic eurasian Allium are not in commerce. Most should be fairly doable, given how easy to grow some species like Allium karataviense are. The alliums on the Pilous list represent some of the best and most desirable species. Be prepared to wait a good number of years to get them to bloom from seed, 5-6 yrs on avaerage. Here is a little beauty that finally flowered in May 2008, for which I lost the label. Can't remember where I got the seed from. I've spent a lot of time trying to key it, and now fairly sure it is Allium elburzence, a species from the Elburz Mountains in Iran. Some views: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… ...late anthesis: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… Another Allium from the same area (Elburz Mts) is a tall and beautiful species, Allium chelotum. I got this as a bulb from known provenance (can't tell you where exactly, the labels are still under a foot of rock hard snow & ice), taking several years to mature and bloom. I like this one very much as the soft pink color is a refreshing change from the typical purple ball-shaped blooms of species such as hollandicum, jesdianum, giganteum, etc). In the views of Allium chelotum, taken this May 2008, you will see the flexuous sun-chasing stems of the tallest of all alliums, namely A. altissimum, the stems typically reaching almost 6' (2 meters). It flowers 2-3 weeks after A. chelotum, topping out in early to mid June. Allium chelotum by comparison comes in at a mere 4' tall (120 cm) ;-) early anthesis: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… ...full anthesis: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… ...two views: http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… http://plantbuzz.com/buzz/… Mark McDonough Massachusetts, near the New Hampshire border, USDA Zone 5 antennaria@charter.net =============== Today it is mild, sunny, but windy, most of the yard covered with an impenetrable layer of snow-ice, but on the sunny south side of the house where the snow receded, the first blooms of Galanthus opened. Supposed to get another 3" of snow tomorrow...yay! ---- Dave Brastow wrote: Message: 9 Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:51:13 -0800 From: Laura & Dave <toadlily@olywa.net> Subject: Re: [pbs] Seed of Eurasian Allium To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>, Laura & Dave <toadlily@olywa.net> Message-ID: <49A8C2C1.4050505@olywa.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Hi Byron I've gotten good quality seeds, chosen from an extensive listing that includes Alliums from: Dr. Vlastimil Pilous, Jiraskova St. 396, 543 71 Hostinn?, CZECH REPUBLIC Fax 00420 499 441373, E-mail: vlpilous@seznam.cz <mailto:vlpilous@seznam.cz> He has a list that he can email Dave Brastow (Sorry about the fonts, I don't know what's going on)
