Allium 2013

[wmel]

I see that over 2000 people have read this thread  so far- is there really a decrease in interest in allium?
I do think there is quite a lot of disappointment from folks who buy allium bulbs for the garden that do not grow well - I've had that conversation with several people, but I think the interest is there- maybe just needs  more reliable supplies to the trade than many of us can find.

I totally agree that buying allium bulbs often gives a disappointing result in the spring.
I also suffer from it regularly, even if I ordered the  bulbs through "reliable" addresses .
With less interest I mean especially that less is posted.
if you look at allium 2010, 2011 and 2012 than the number of pages each year is decreasing.

[Rimmer de Vries]

I love alliums but there are very limited sources in USA for decent stock either as bulbs or seed. And Almost all the allium seed from the exchanges is incorrectly identified and or fails to germinate either in warm or cold . So yes there is frustration but that will not stop me from trying to assemble a small collection.

[wmel]

I purchased both Allium narcissiflorum and A. insubricum some years ago.
A. narcissiflorum has done well but insubricum less so.

they look spectacularly beautiful.
Allium narcissiflorum I  don't have (not yet) (be sown this year)
and allium insubricum here is very difficult to grow. I think it's here in full sun is not ideal for this allium (to dry??)

[ebbie]

Graham and the other specialists, what is the difference between Allium narcissiflorum and  Allium insubricum? I don't know what species my Allium is (here a picture from last year). Thanks.

[Maggi Young]

With less interest I mean especially that less is posted.
if you look at allium 2010, 2011 and 2012 than the number of pages each year is decreasing.

Ah, I see what you mean - yes, that is a shame. 

Perhaps we need to have a major project to get and supply good well named seed to the onion lovers  here - that would be a start!

[Graham Catlow]

Graham and the other specialists, what is the difference between Allium narcissiflorum and  Allium insubricum? I don't know what species my Allium is (here a picture from last year). Thanks.

I'm not a specialist I just grow a few and have to rely on the nursery for supplying the correct bulbs. Mine may both be the true species or both the same of either species. I have not looked closely enough to make a diagnosis but will do this year.

However, this is what Mark McDonough 'TheOnionMan' wrote on the forum in 2009 in two posts and I think we can call him a specialist.

The two species, Allium insubricum and narcissiflorum, are nearly identical, the major difference being that while the umbels are pendant or nodding in both species, they remain pendant in A. insubricum, but become erect when going to seed in A. narcissiflorum.  There are other minor differences cited, but the nodding vs. erect characteristic seems the easiest to watch for.

I mentioned the most often cited difference, that the inflorescence of A. narcissiflorum become erect at late anthesis, but there are other differences.

Flower color is not really important diagnostically, in both species it is variable.  Back in the 1980s when I lived in Seattle, Washington, I grew several color forms of both species, ranging from light pink, to deep reddish-purple (although it seems A. insubricum more commonly has the deeper color forms).

Allium narcissiflorum has slightly smaller flowers than insubricum, more openly campanulate too, and with potentially more flowers per head.  Look at the foliage of the two species posted here, it's narrower in narcissiflorum... rather delicate, it is wider and more robust in insubricum.  There are differences in bulb coats or tunics too, see Flora Europaea for details.

In cultivation it seems you have a higher chance of getting A. insubricum than true narcissiflorum, which is okay by me, as A. insubricum is a gorgeous species, as shown in Roma's photo.  But of course, A. narcissiflorum is beautiful too.  I fail miserably with both species in my hot and dry New England garden, still haven't found the right microclimate for either species.

[FrazerHenderson]

A few pictures from the recent Gardening Scotland Show which should inspire greater interest in alliums, which perhaps will translate to greater participation on the forum.

[ebbie]

Thank you, Graham. I think I'm going to observe whether the inflorescence erected later. But the distinction does not seem easy in fact.

[Roma]

 

A. insubricum is a gorgeous species, as shown in Roma's photo. 

Unfortunately it died in the 2010-2011 winter.  I have a pot of seedlings (exchange seed) so hope to have it flowering again soon.

[ashley]

... what is the difference between Allium narcissiflorum and  Allium insubricum?

I wondered the same thing.  Thanks Graham for reminding us of Mark's post.

These came from the SRGC Seedex labelled A. narcissiflorum, sown Jan 2007 and flowering for the first time.  The few flowers per scape suggest A. insubricum but might be due to immaturity     I'll watch how seed heads develop.  Update 26 June: Pollinated flowers are turning upwards, so A. narcissiflorum it probably is.
However leaves are markedly narrower (3-4 mm) and more glaucous than what grew as A. insubricum (leaves 4-6 mm across) from the same exchange.  Unfortunately the latter haven't flowered yet (so are probably not A. cyathophorum var. farreri anyway ).

Also
A. peninsulare     seed received as, now going over
A. moly     (x2)

[Maggi Young]

Panayoti Kelaidis, who yesterday was starring at the SRGC's  80th "birthday party", has been blogging about onions :
Monday, June 24, 2013
Onions for crying out loud!
http://prairiebreak.blogspot.co.uk/

[olegKon]

Two more pictures of Weitse's fields I have managed to resize thank to the help of the forum friends

[olegKon]

Some more

[olegKon]

Can anyone help ID this allium? The lable says "seed 2007 Allium insubricum". This was the only seedling so real A.insubricum didn't germinate. But I'm happy to have this one flowering for the first time. The pictures were taken at the beginning of flowering just before my trip to Holland. When I came back the flowers had already faded. No seed this year, unfortunately. And sorry again if I still have problems with rotating.

[wmel]

Can anyone help ID this allium? The lable says "seed 2007 Allium insubricum". This was the only seedling so real A.insubricum didn't germinate. But I'm happy to have this one flowering for the first time. The pictures were taken at the beginning of flowering just before my trip to Holland. When I came back the flowers had already faded. No seed this year, unfortunately. And sorry again if I still have problems with rotating.

This allium looks very nice.
The color is almost red, but I have no idea what it is.
How was the trip back home?
did you have any problems with the bulbs and plants?