Mini purple allium
Allium atropurpureum
Family: Amaryllidaceae
What it is like
An onion family plant. A bulb plant. It grows to 60-90 cm high. The bulbs are 15 - 30 mm wide. The flowers are wine red and small and starry. The flowers are 5 cm across and borne in a round head.
There are about 300-700 Allium species. Most species of Allium are edible (Flora of China). All alliums are edible but they may not all be worth eating! They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.
Where it is found
It grows naturally in shaded humus rich soils along rocky cliffs between 1900 metres to 2200 metres in the Himalayas in North India. It prefers a sunny position in a light well drained soil. It should tolerate temperatures down to -10°C.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Europe, Himalayas, Hungary, India
How it is used for food
The bulbs are eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are used raw or to flavour salads.
Edible parts
Flowers, leaves, root, bulb
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seed or by division of clumps. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply.