Allium zebdanense
jmsjon664@aol.com (Sun, 24 Apr 2011 16:03:41 PDT)

Plain Language from Truthful Jameses: Allium zebdanense is nice! Mine self-sows decorously and divides readily, and is coming into bloom now.
Jim Jones
Lexington, MA

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim McKenney <jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com>
To: pbs <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sat, Apr 23, 2011 1:44 pm
Subject: Re: [pbs] Allium zebdanense

I share Jim W's high esteem for this Allium.

My first stocks of this species came from the John Messelaar Bulb Company
perhaps forty years ago. At the time, they were the only ones who listed this
species among the bulb merchants I knew.

For years I thought it might be tender like the various plants sent out under
the name Allium neapolitanum, and so I grew it in a very protected spot.

Years later, as my circle of gardening friends expanded, I noticed it
naturalized in other local gardens. Now mine grow out in the open.

Only last weekend I was visiting a slightly warmer garden which has both A.
zebdanense and A. neapolitnaum: they are easily distinguished on the basis of
the leaf width (zebdanense narrow, neapolitanum wide) and the slightly narrower
and less campanulate flower of A. zebdanense.

Jim W wrote : "As the flowers open into
small white tufts of multiple flowers, the seem to float inches above
the foliage."

Here, the flowers open well above the foliage. The long, lax, arching foliage is
about six inches under the inflorescence and the scape is very thin and a bit
flexuous. It's a very graceful plant.

I agree, it's definitely a keeper.

Jim McKenney