Allium giganteum's bright, 5" lilac flowers on 3–4' stems appear in late June and grow quickly to a colossal size. The intriguing flowers start green, coloring first on top of the ball, and then slowly change from green to lilac. As they mature, they revert to green again, from the top down. This rugged Himalayan plant variety survived a midsummer tornado in 1989 without staking. If cut early, the bloom lasts 3 weeks in water.
The genus Allium (the Latin means "garlic") offers colorful, distinctive, and long-lasting forms that are standouts in the early summer garden. Alliums are sun-lovers and prefer well-drained, even sandy, soil. Deer, mice, chipmunks, and related predators generally avoid this group, so you can plant with impunity. Tuck them among clumps of summer-flowering perennials where the Alliums' withering foliage will be hidden by the expanding perennials.
For more information on growing Allium, click Growing Guide.
