Allium Purple King

The 10cm flower heads in rich, regal purple are fit for a king! Their 60cm stems are straight and true. They look sensational scattered amongst perennials or grasses.
Allium jesdianum `Purple King` is also great with roses - a member of the garlic/onion gang, it helps to repel pests and reduce fungal disease.
Alliums are tough, hardy, and beautiful too! They are members of the onion family and when the foliage is bruised, or crushed it smells just like onions.

Plant Allium jesdianum `Purple King` into well drained soil in a sunny position. The soil drainage is important as the bulbs rot easily if left in bog. Adding some lime and compost to the soil will give them a good start in the garden.

They will need at least six hours of sun and a warm spot in the garden to thrive. As the stems of Allium jesdianum `Purple King` are tall, you should shelter them from strong winds because while they are strong there is only so much you can do and let`s face it they are expensive so it is best to get the most out of them. They are expensive because they are slow to multiply. You could get lucky and they will self seed so it is worth leaving the seed heads on (or allowing them to ripen before collecting it for March planting). Seeds take five or six years to grow into flowering size bulbs.

Plant to a depth of around 10-12cm or twice the diameter of the bulb. Once planted, Allium jesdianum `Purple King` bulbs are best left to naturalise. This means you can relax and leave them in the ground year after year and just enjoy flowers as they rise. To help them on the way, add a well balanced fertiliser in autumn. Don`t forget to mark their position (we use wooden kebab sticks just out of the ground) as you don`t want to put a spade through one!

Our Tip: Plant amongst summer perennials that emerge to keep the foliage hidden. As with most Alliums, the leaves begin yellow as the blooms take off. It is also a good idea to protect new foliage from slugs and snails (it emerges in spring). Also you want to keep them relatively dry during summer dormancy or ensure sharp drainage.

Supplied as: Bulbs