Rosy Garlic
Allium roseum
Family: Alliaceae
What it is like
Allium roseum is a BULB growing to 0.4 m (1ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.4
Where it is found
Grassland and gravelly places near the sea.
Europe - Mediterranean. Naturalized in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Bulb - raw or cooked. A garlic substitute, it is used as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods. The bulbs are 10 - 15mm in diameter. Leaves - raw or cooked. A mild garlic flavour, they make a nice addition to salads and can also be used as a flavouring in cooked foods. Flowers - raw. Used as a garnish on salads, they are very attractive and have a pleasant mild garlic flavour. Bulbils - raw or cooked. Very small and fiddly to use, though they have a pleasant mild garlic flavour.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 2
Although no specific mention of medicinal uses has been seen for this species, members of this genus are in general very healthy additions to the diet. They contain sulphur compounds (which give them their onion flavour) and when added to the diet on a regular basis they help reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as a tonic to the digestive system and also tonify the circulatory system.
Other
Rating:
The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
How it is grown
Easily grown in a warm sunny position in a light well-drained soil. Only hardy in the milder parts of Britain, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. A very ornamental plant. There are several named forms. The sub-species A. roseum bulbiferum produces a few sterile flowers and many bulbils on its flowering stem. This form will probably spread freely and perhaps escape from cultivation. The sub-species A. roseum roseum does not produce bulbils. Both forms produce numerous bulblets around the base of the main bulb. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle - if you want to produce clumps more quickly then put three plants in each pot. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in spring once they are growing vigorously and are large enough. Division in spring. Very easy, the plants divide successfully at any time in the growing season and the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions if required.
Best place to grow: Hedgerow; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible.