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Alliums not flowering

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  • I *think* this is giganteum:

    image

    These have been blind for a couple of years, I moved them last year and realised I'd planted them on some brick rubble. Is that the style of growth for yours JMM?

    These are some that I think could be described as leek-like but are definitely not giganteum:

    image

    image

    Do you have a photo to compare?

    Wearside, England.
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527

    Got me a bit baffled, alliums are normally really reliable. I bought some giganteum bulbs last year, the bulbs were massive bigger than a orange but none of mine have flower bulbs on yet image, getting me worried now.  Giganteum has very broad leaves like Victoria has shown.

  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    My alliums always seem to make a lot of new non flowering bulbs rather than putting up flowers. I don't quite know why. 

    Is there any one out there who is better informed about them? Type of soil they prefer depth of planting etc etc.




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • JMM31JANJMM31JAN Posts: 16

    Photo attachedimage

    Sorry it is not right way up - photographic skills are worse than gardening skills!

  • JMM31JANJMM31JAN Posts: 16

    Guess photo "righted' itself! Tallest "allium" is 120cm and girth of stem is 10cm.

  • Oh dear, they aren't giganteum and they look very much like the plants in the link Kitty has attached...

    On the plus side they could still be an ornamental allium, they look like a huge version of Summer Drummer which I have above in the second picture.

    Wearside, England.
  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364

    My allium leaves  all grow from the ground and do not branch from the stems like your photo.




    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • I was thinking, this doesn't answer your question about the flowering, sorry.

    If they were mine, I'd keep them until summer in case they are a later flowering bulb. Then if they flowered and I liked it and thought it made up for all the stem I'd move it to a back of border position. If they didn't flower and I had space I might keep them just to see what they would do.

    I'd look for something a bit smaller and prettier for the raised bed. If you would still like some allium giganteum I can recommend Parkers, Rose Cottage, Walkers and Bloms for bulbs. They vary in cost but have different selections and I think it's hugely unlikely they will send you the wrong bulbs.

    Hope this helpsimage

    Wearside, England.
  • JMM31JANJMM31JAN Posts: 16

    Thanks so much for all your input. I will follow suggestions, be patient then reposition at end of season. Great to know there us help out there for novices, and I will look up those allium providers' websites.

  • I hope you won't be discouraged, I know if you had been supplied with the correct bulbs they would have flowered in their first yearimage

    Also I think a lot of us have issues with alliums, I think because there are so many types. Although I have a few stalwarts some won't perform for me for more than a year. Probably there is an allium for every kind of gardenimage

    Wearside, England.
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