Quick Characteristics:
| Height: | 10-30 cm (0.3-1 ft) |
| Flower Colors: | white |
Allium albidum Fisch. ex M.Bieb. is found in Bulgaria, Romania, European Russia, on stony sunny slopes to about 2000 m. It has cylindrical to narrowly conical bulbs, clustered on a short rhizome, stems 15-30 cm high, linear leaves, 2- 4 mm wide, and white to yellowish flowers that are bowl-shaped to almost flat, 6-8 mm wide, in dense hemispherical umbels 2-3 cm across, summer. According to Plants of the World Online and World Flora Online in 2024 this species is considered to be a synonym of Allium denudatum Redouté.
Allium albidum ssp. caucasicum (Regel) Stearn is a nice compact form of this European mat-forming onion. The small white flowers in July and August are not particularly large, showy, or plentiful, but it's a pleasant enough little species that makes carpets of fine green strap-shaped foliage. It's small enough to grow in a trough, as shown in the image. Photos by Mark McDonough.
Allium albidum hybrid - The plant pictured is of one of the better seedlings resulting after several years of selecting among hybrid progeny derived from such species as Allium nutans, Allium senescens, and A. albidum, all of which freely hybridize with each other. This is one that shows a strong A. albidum influence, having smaller, tight heads of blooms, and very pale color, a sort of warm pinkish-white. With the shorter stems, even growth, and handsome clumps of shiny green strap leaves, it has great potential for further hybridizing. Photo by Mark McDonough.
