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Allium 'pods'??

Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
in Plants
Hello,

Never grown alliums before and was wondering what these pod looking things are? They're only on one plant.

Any ideas??

Thanks in advance


Posts

  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    edited May 2022
    I may be wrong but I think they are little bulbs forming on the flower instead of the roots. I’ve seen it happen a few times. Thank be no idea if they are viable to plant, I wouldn’t have thought so but somebody else may prove me wrong!
    Either way they don’t do any harm to the parent plant so you can just ignore them and either remove the seed head and stalk (I don’t as I like them) or leave them to dry on the plant depending on your preference
  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    Interesting. Can't find any mention of this happening anywhere, but they certainly do look like bulbs. 
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    They are called bulbils. They can be planted and will produce clones of the adult, although it may be a few years before they flower.
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    I can’t remember what happened to them but I think as the seed head dries up they also dry up and stop growing. Maybe removing them at this stage they could grow on
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Bulbils ... not unusual for alliums ... discussed here 

    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1013862/allium-bulbils

     :) 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    Thank you all. Always something new to learn about! 
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