Allium karataviense 'Red Giant'

A triumph of patient and careful breeding, Allium karataviense 'Red Giant' offers plenty of eye appeal and pollinator traffic for the edge of the border. Multitudinous, densely packed florets make up a globe-shaped, ornamental flower head that sits atop a sturdy, stocky stem. The florets appear in shades of violet-purple to mauve pink, and they loosen somewhat as the flowers age. Several broadly curving, gently pleated green leaves frame each flower head like a paper wrapper around a bouquet. Plant these globes in multiples to create a swath. They are captivating characters for containers and window boxes, too.

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 later summer-flowering perennials where the Alliums' withering foliage will be hidden by the expanding perennials.

For more information on the growing and care of Allium, click Growing Guide.