suzunow
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:20 am

What's this flower?

Hi folks - new to the forum, and pretty new to gardening. I'm trying to find out what type of flower my neighbor has/had. It was a tall flower, shaped like a spikey white ball, sitting atop a long thick stalk, almost looking bamboo-like. About 3 feet tall. Imagine taking one of those big white 4th of July fireworks and popping it on a stick and you get the idea. Anyone? They have since dried out and I have seeds to plant, but know nothing about them and the neighbor's gone. Also, if anyone has any additional suggestions, like how to plant the seeds, maintenance, etc., that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Susunow,

You don't say where this flower was grown and I could be wrong if you are in a tropical climate, but I suspect it's some type of Allium aka onion. Yup, there are ornamental onions and many, many different varieties of them. Is this what your plant looks like?

https://www.tulipworld.com/tulip.asp?contentloc=/find/catalogcontent/C-Spr-Alliums.asp%3Ftheme%3DC-Spr-Alliums


Allium nigrum
https://www.lejardindesophie.net/jardinautes/sophie/paplantes/a/alliumnigrum.htm

Allium 'Mount Everest'
https://www.lejardindesophie.net/jardinautes/sophie/paplantes/a/alliumounteverest.htm

Allium fistulosum
https://www.sci.muni.cz/bot_zahr/fotografie/venkovni%20rostliny/Allium%20fistulosum.jpg

Allium tuberosum
https://www.sci.muni.cz/bot_zahr/fotografie/venkovni%20rostliny/Allium%20tuberosum.jpg

Allium turcomanicum
https://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2005/09/allium_turcomanicum.php

Newt

suzunow
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:20 am

Thanks, Newt! I'm in Michigan, not a tropical climate, but that's exactly the plant! Looks like these are grown from bulbs, but the flowers that have died off are filled with seeds - do you or anyone else out there know if these can be grown from seed?

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Great news! We found it. Yes, they will grow from seed. Just sprinkle the, where you want them now or in the fall, press into the soil and in a couple to three years you will have flowers. The seeds will grow into little onion bulbs that will produce flowers. Different alliums germinate at different rates, so you may not seed seedlings until spring.

This is an interesting site. Click on 'Seeds and seed pods' and then look for allium. You see what the seeds, pods (you alread know these) and sprouts look like.
https://theseedsite.co.uk/

And another interesting site.
https://earthnotes.tripod.com/seeds.htm

Newt



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