GardenSMART Therese Ciesinski
Alliums, or ornamental onions, seem to be enjoying their time in the spotlight. That’s fortunate, as these wacky flowers—which resemble pink, purple, or white balls on sticks—have a lot to offer. They are simple to maintain, entice butterflies and other pollinators, and repel rabbits and deer because of their unpleasant taste. The loose, spherical mounds of most perennials are contrasted by their striking outlines, and they are very attractive and intriguing. Much more room should be given to alliums in backyard gardens.
Some alliums only produce one flower per bulb, whereas “Millenium” bulbs produce numerous flowers as a clump. Flowers have a comparable spread and a height range of 12 to 18 inches.
“Millenium” was chosen, in accordance with the PPA website, because to its “late blossoming with masses of rose-purple blossoms, uniform habit with clean shining green foliage that remains appealing season-round, and for its drought tolerant constitution.”
Millennium (with a single “n”) made its debut in 2000. Mark McDonough, a horticulture expert, developed it in Massachusetts. In zones 3 to 9, it can survive.
Several other plants had petered out by the time these alliums bloom in July and August. Although they can thrive in different types of soil, sandy soil is the ideal for them. Like most bulbs, they can’t tolerate moist soil because it will make them decay. Effective drainage is crucial.
In a place with full sun, or afternoon shadow in warm climes, plant bulbs in the fall. Like with all flowering bulbs, once the blooming is over, keep the foliage on the bulb to feed it and encourage blooming the following year. Trim it in the fall. There are no severe pest or disease issues with “Millenium.”
Many alliums reseed excessively, while “Millenium” does not. It has infertile seed. To get extra plants, divide clumps in the spring or fall and plant the divisions.
Goldenrod (Solidago), Russian sage (Perovskia), or the yellow evening primrose (Oenothera fremontii ‘Shimmer’) complement “Millenium” beautifully.
Alliums come in roughly 700 different varieties, including foods like garlic, leeks, scallions, and onions. In fact, the Latin word allium signifies garlic.
The majority of ornamental onion blossoms have lengthy stems, making them suitable for cutting. But they are not a suitable choice for a nosegay because the foliage and blooms have the same smell as their onion cousins. And even though ornamental onions smell edible, they should not be consumed.
What month should alliums be planted?
Most likely, when you think of alliums, you picture those plants with the traditional round, purple flowerheads on long stalks that make borders look amazing in late spring and early summer. Alliums, however, are much more than this.
There are alliums that are white, pink, blue, and yellow. There are some alliums that resemble a fireworks display, and others that resemble knotted dreadlocks.
You can identify that alliums are related to onions, garlic, and leeks by the aroma released when you crush the foliage. This family also includes chives (Allium schoenoprasum), which have delicious leaves that may be sliced and used to salads and dips.
Alliums are a favorite of butterflies and bees, and even the dried flowerheads look lovely in the border or in floral arrangements.
When to plant allium bulbs
The greatest time to plant alliums is in mid- to late-autumn, at the same time as tulips and daffodils that bloom in the spring. Allium bulbs are resilient and can withstand harsh winter weather if they are planted in soil that drains effectively.
Some attractive alliums, like “Allium sphaerocephalon,” flower in the late summer. Most ornamental alliums bloom in the late spring and early summer.
Where to plant alliums
The majority of alliums thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Tall alliums should be planted in a protected area to prevent the stems from blowing over in high winds. Plant purple-flowered chives (‘Allium schoenoprasum’), which appreciate afternoon shade, or yellow-flowered ‘Allium moly’ in shaded areas.
Tall alliums look great planted in broad swaths or punctuated across a border. Late-summer bloomer Allium sphaerocephalon has gorgeous wine-red flowers that stand out amid the grasses in prairie planting schemes.
Long, slender leaves on ornamental alliums fade back as the flowers emerge. To conceal the waning foliage, place allium bulbs under other low-growing plants.
Planting allium bulbs
- Remove any weeds by turning the dirt over. Dig in leaf mold or compost instead of using manure on heavy soil as this can change the soil’s pH level. Alliums thrive in soil with a pH that is neutral.
- Make a hole that is roughly four times the bulb’s depth.
- Put a bulb in the opening with the roots pointing down.
- Gently compact the earth after filling the hole.
Alliums can also be grown in large pots with soil that is a mixture of grit, John Innes No. 3 compost, and multipurpose compost.
Tips on caring for alliums
- Ground-planted alliums typically don’t require irrigation.
- In the spring, alliums grown in containers will require regular watering. However, avoid letting the compost become soggy as this could lead to the bulbs rotting.
- Crushed eggshells around plants, copper tape around pots, beer traps, or wildlife-friendly slug pellets can all be used to deter slugs and snails from eating new spring leaves.
- When the plants are in bloom, spread a general-purpose fertilizer to aid in the development of the bulbs, assuring healthy flowers the following year.
- Once the leaves have withered back, remove them.
- There is no need to deadhead the flowerheads unless you choose to because they still look excellent after flowering has completed. As long as they remain in place at the border, they may be ignored.
- Put pots in a greenhouse or up against a wall of a house in the winter to shield them from the cold weather.
Growing allium bulbs from offsets
Offsets, which are little bulbs affixed to the main bulb, are produced by many allium bulbs. These can either be planted directly in the ground or split from the main bulb and placed in tiny pots to grow on. Before they have developed enough to produce flowers, it will take a number of years.
Wait until the allium plants are through flowering before using a garden fork to carefully uproot the plants and inspect the bulbs for offsets. Replant the bulbs after removing any offsets.
Best allium bulbs to plant
Alliums come in a wide variety, from large to little, with flowerheads that are rounded or exotic-looking twisted. Here is a selection of the most well-liked alliums.
- One of the most well-known alliums, Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ has the traditional deep purple spherical flowerheads on long, robust stalks. 1 m (3.5 ft) high.
- Large circular purple flowerheads up to 15 cm (6 in) across on robust stems that are 80 cm (3 ft) tall characterize Allium ‘Globemaster’.
- As its name suggests, Allium giganteum is a true giant with dense, spherical purple flowerheads on stems up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) tall.
Does Millennium allium reproduce itself?
Over the years, the Perennial Plant Association’s Perennial of the Year program has produced some absolutely amazing plants. Nearly all previous winners in the category of perennials for temperate climates have gone on to become classics. You only need to consider a few previous winners, such as the “Jack Frost” brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla “Jack Frost,” 2012), the “Rozanne” geranium (Geranium “Gerwat,” 2008), the “Karl Foerster” feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora “Karl Foerster,” 2001), or the “Goldsturm” coneflower (Rudbeck Many seasoned gardeners would quickly recognize the names, and even if you don’t, chances are good that you cultivate them in your garden. They are all around us!
And with the 2018 champion, Allium “Millenium,” that is most likely what will take place. This plant, created by allium expert Mark McDonough, has it all: beauty, simplicity of maintenance, wide availability, and even delicious flowers and leaves.
With more than 750 species spread across the northern hemisphere, the genus Allium is incredibly diverse. There are several spring-flowering decorative bulbs, such as gigantic onion (A. giganteum), with its enormous globe of purple flowers. Edible variants include onions (A. cepa), garlic (A. sativum), and leeks (Allium ampeloprasum). But because ‘Millenium’ doesn’t develop a true bulb but rather a dense clump of leaves with fibrous roots, it is more closely linked to its smaller cousin, chives (A. schoenoprasum).
“Millennium” has a lengthy shelf life. Before the flowers start to bloom in July, its erect, dark green leaves form a lovely tuft of green in the earliest spring, resembling an ornamental grass. The flowers, which are small purple-pink balls with a diameter of approximately 2 inches (5 cm), are delicately perfumed and bloom for about a month in the middle of the summer. They don’t smell like onions, but if you damage some leaf, it does.
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects are drawn to the flowers, but mammalian herbivores like deer and rabbits stay away due to the foliage’s mild repulsiveness. It also doesn’t appear to be prone to insect infestations. There are no unwanted seedlings and no chance of the plant becoming invasive because the blossoms are almost sterile.
‘Millennium’ reaches heights of 16 to 20 inches (40 to 50 cm) and diameters of 12 to 18 inches (30 and 45 cm). Multiplying by division is simple, and you may do it in the spring or the fall.
Allium breeder Mark McDonough from Massachusetts has been a devoted collector for almost 40 years. He makes dozens of controlled crosses every year and has thousands of species and cultivars in his collection. However, alliums readily cross-pollinate, producing their own hybrids, and “Millenium” is one of the self-sown hybrids produced by some allium hanky-panky. McDonough is able to identify genes from A. nutans and A. lusitanicum in “Millenium,” but he is unable to identify the plant’s true progenitors.
As its name implies, “Millenium” was introduced in 2000 and has since achieved tremendous popularity, ranking among the best-selling ornamental alliums in the world (though it is occasionally misspelled “Millennium”). In regions where it can be grown, you should be able to find it in any garden center. If not, a fast search on the Internet will point you to mail order suppliers.
Allium ‘Millenium’ should be planted in full sun and moderately rich, well-drained soil. You should cultivate it in a container or raised bed if your soil is thick clay or wet. Once established, “Millenium” is highly drought-tolerant and forms a wonderful cut flower. It is a hardy plant for temperate regions with chilly to cold winters, ranging from zone 3 to around 8. (Some texts mention it as hardy only from zone 5 and up, but I can attest that it thrives in zone 3 just fine.)
How late can allium be planted?
Yes! Alliums are annual plants that grow again year after year. Due of their extreme cold tolerance, they can endure most zones’ winters.
Alliums planted in the spring will still blossom, yes. Although the blossoms won’t be quite as big, they will return the next year in full force.
Allium may only grow as foliar growth, with no blooms, or not at all, if you plant it too deeply. To ensure the best growth and lessen the possibility of shallow bulbs being dug up by animals, try to put allium 4 inches beneath the soil surface.
The spring is not the time to transplant allium bulbs. Wait until the end of the summer when the foliage begins to turn yellow so that the plant will be in a dormant state and not be concentrating on new growth. It will be difficult to locate the bulbs if you wait until the stems totally wilt.
Deadhead your Millennium Allium plants?
The blossoms of allium plants are large, softball-sized, and purple in color. They thrive in areas that are both sunny and protected, where the wind is less likely to tear the blossoms apart. They typically bloom in the early summer under these circumstances and last for three weeks on average.
Deadhead the blossoms once the flowers have gone. However, keep the foliage in place because it needs time to naturally wither in order for the bulbs to store energy for the growth of the following season. It’s a good idea to put alliums in a bed with later flowering flowers that might disguise and obscure them because the leaves may look a touch scraggly.
The perennial plant Allium Millennium
Allium “Millenium” has been named the perennial plant of the year for 2018 by the Perennial Plant Association. (With permission from the University of Illinois Extension)
URBANA, Illinois
Allium “Millenium” has been named the perennial plant of the year for 2018 by the Perennial Plant Association. The workhorse of the late summer garden is this herbaceous perennial, which is related to the common onion. “Millenium,” a plant developed by Massachusetts-based horticulture researcher Mark McDonough, was released by Plant Delights Nursery in 2000. Since then, it has garnered acclaim and proven itself year after year.
“Allium nutans and Allium lusitanicum (previously Allium senescens ssp. montanum) were used in a multigenerational breeding procedure to create this cultivar, which was chosen for its drought resistance, uniform habit, and late flowering with masses of rose-purple blossoms. However, the spelling presents some concerns. According to Martha Smith, a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator, it is sometimes spelled “Millennium,” which is consistent with the right spelling for the turn of the century, although it was presumably registered under the name “Millenium.”
Over 900 species of bulbous plants in the Northern Hemisphere belong to the genus Allium, although only a few of these species—onion, garlic, leeks, shallots, scallions, and chives—make up the culinary vegetables and herbs. The species is especially well-known for a few dozen decorative flowers with large, springtime blooms in the shape of globes that emerge from bulbs and have long stems. Even though the vast majority of the genus is unknown and not grown in gardens, it has a lot of potential as an ornamental plant once additional species are brought under cultivation.
Numerous benefits of Allium ‘Millenium’ will enhance the surrounding surroundings. Each bulb normally develops an upright foliage clump of glossy, deep green leaves that resemble grass and grow to a height of 10-15 inches in the spring and thrive in full sunlight. Each bulb produces two to three flower scapes that rise above the foliage in the middle of the summer. These flower scapes each produce two to three spectacular, two-inch spherical umbels of rose-purple florets lasting up to four weeks. Instead of being domed or hemispherical like they are in some Allium species, the flower umbels are entirely round (spherical). They often retain a tinge of their earlier rose-purple color as they dry to a light brown.
The summer heat doesn’t hurt “Millenium,” unlike other Alliums that could appear scraggly. It makes a superb perennial in many parts of the country and is easily cultivated in Zones 4–9 (and possibly Zone 3 as well). It does benefit from afternoon shade in regions with very hot summers.
The only significant pest issue that has been identified is bulb rot, which can happen in moist soils. Leaf spot may appear under congested growth conditions. Deer and bunnies stay away from “Millenium.” Alliums are occasionally avoided because of their propensity to reseed. Fortunately, “Millenium” has a 50% lower seed production rate, so there is less chance for self-sown seedlings.
Allium ‘Millenium’ forms a beautiful herbaceous clump that is quickly multiplied by division and has real bulbs linked to a short, thick rhizome. For a good show, growers should use three to five bulbs per one-gallon pot. Full light and a medium free-draining soil are needed. Once planted, “Millenium” is simple to lift and divide in the spring or the fall. In the late fall, trim the foliage.
Allium “Millenium” will attract a lot of pollinators. The addition of “Millenium” to your yard will be appreciated by butterflies and bees. Combine with shorter goldenrods (Solidago sp.), like the 1.5-foot-tall “Little Lemon.” Goldenrods attract pollinators in the late summer and have stunning, contrasting golden yellow blooms.
Oenothera fremontii ‘Shimmer’, with its low-growing, silvery foliage ornamented everyday with enormous yellow blooms that emerge in the late afternoon and fade to an apricot color by morning, is another late summer reblooming perennial to take into consideration. This evening primrose is well-behaved because it is tap-rooted and does not creep through the yard like certain rhizomatous spreading evening primrose are notorious for.
The native Scutellaria incana, often known as Downy skullcap, with its numerous spikes of blue flowers perched above trim green leaves also complements Allium ‘Millenium’ well. Or just grow a lot of them and take in the rose-purple spectacle!
This reliable perennial with little upkeep won’t let you down. ‘Millenium’ provides much-needed color by blooming just as the majority of our garden is starting to deteriorate from the worn-out excess of the season. It is a true perennial that offers lovely lustrous leaves from spring through summer and finishes the growing season with a crown of perfectly rounded, rose-purple flower umbels.