Allium sphaerocephalon | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
Subfamily: | Allioideae |
Genus: | Allium |
Subgenus: | A. subg. Allium |
Species: | A. sphaerocephalon |
Binomial name | |
Allium sphaerocephalon | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Species synonymy
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Allium sphaerocephalon is a plant species in the Amaryllis family known as round-headed leek, round-headed garlic, ball-head onion, and other variations on these names. Drumstick allium is another common name applied to this species. Some publications use the alternate spelling Allium sphaerocephalum. [2] It is a bulbous herbaceous perennial plant.
Allium sphaerocephalon is found in the wild across all parts of Europe except in the northern and western countries (Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the Baltic States). [3] [4] Its native range extends to northern Africa and to western Asia as far east as Iran. [5] It is also reportedly naturalised in New York State in the United States. [6] In England it grows wild only in the Avon Gorge so is known locally as the Bristol onion. [7]
The species is prized by gardeners because of its striking floral display. The spherical "head" (technically an umbel) is borne on a long scape, up to 50 cm in height, usually in July. It can contain hundreds of deep purple flowers. [5]
The specific epithet sphaerocephalon derives from ancient Greek, meaning "spherical head".
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [8]
Allium sphaerocephalon produces egg-shaped bulbs. Small bulblets are present under the outer layer of the stem (making the plant potentially invasive when grown in gardens). Flowers are borne on a scape up to 50 cm in height, in a spherical to egg-shaped umbel, 1–6 cm in diameter, tightly packed with many flowers crowded together. The relatively small size of the umbel relative to the height of the stem makes this one of those described as "drumstick alliums". Individual flowers are reddish-purple and are occasionally replaced by bulbils (again making this a potentially invasive species). [3]
Allium ampeloprasum is a member of the onion genus Allium. The wild plant is commonly known as wild leek or broadleaf wild leek. Its native range is southern Europe to southwestern Asia and North Africa, but it is cultivated in many other places and has become naturalized in many countries.
Allium galanthum is an Asian species of onion in the amaryllis family, commonly called the snowdrop onion. It is native to Xinjiang, Mongolia, Altay Krai, and Kazakhstan. It grows at elevations of 500–1,500 m (1,600–4,900 ft).
Allium caeruleum is an ornamental bulbous plant of the onion genus, native to Central Asia. In these regions, it is found on dry slopes, plains, and steppes.
Allium moly, also known as yellow garlic, golden garlic and lily leek, Is a species of flowering plant in the genus Allium, which also includes the flowering and culinary onions and garlic. A bulbous herbaceous perennial from the Mediterranean, it is edible and also used as a medicinal and ornamental plant.
Allium senescens, commonly called aging chive, German garlic, or broadleaf chives, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Allium.
Allium stipitatum, Persian shallot, is an Asian species of onion native to central and southwestern Asia.
Allium flavidum is an Asian species of onions native to Xinjiang, Altay Krai, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. It grows in rocky areas.
Allium hollandicum, the Persian onion or Dutch garlic, is a species of flowering plant native to Iran and Kyrgyzstan but widely cultivated as an ornamental because of its umbels of attractive purple flowers. It is reportedly naturalized in Saint Louis County, Minnesota.
Allium nutans, English common name Siberian chives or blue chives, is a species of onion native to European Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Asiatic Russia. It grows in wet meadows and other damp locations.
Allium obliquum, common name lop-sided onion or twisted-leaf onion, is a Eurasian species of wild onion with a range extending from Romania to Mongolia. It is also widely cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental.
Allium oreophilum, the pink lily leek, is a species of monocot plant in the Amaryllidaceae family native to an area extending from Western China to Turkey and the Caucasus.
Allium phariense is an Asian species of wild onion native to mountainous areas of Bhutan, Sichuan, and Tibet. It grows at elevations of 4400–5200 m.
Allium platyspathum is an Asian species of wild onion. It has been reported from Xinjiang, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Altay Krai, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. It grows in damp locations at elevations of 1900–3700 m.
Allium semenovii is an Asian species of wild onion native to Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. It grows at elevations of 2000–3000 m.
Allium carinatum, the keeled garlic or witch's garlic, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is widespread across central and southern Europe, with some populations in Asiatic Turkey. It is cultivated in many places as an ornamental and also for its potently aromatic bulbs used as a food flavoring.
Allium commutatum is a species of Mediterranean onions in the amaryllis family. Its native range extends from Corsica and Algeria to Turkey. It has also been introduced to northern Argentina.
Allium flavum, the small yellow onion or yellow-flowered garlic, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Allium. A bulbous herbaceous perennial, it is native to the lands surrounding the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas, from areas like France and Morocco to Iran and Kazakhstan.
Allium insubricum, the Lombardy garlic, is a species of flowering plant endemic to the Lombardy region in northern Italy. It is named for Insubria, the ancient name for the area around present-day Milan. The species is, however, widely cultivated as an ornamental because of its striking flowers. Its locus classicus is located in Canzo.
Leucojum aestivum, commonly called the summer snowflake, giant snowflake, Loddon lily and rarely snowbell and dewdrop among others, is a plant species widely cultivated as an ornamental. It is native to most of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Ukraine, with the exception of Scandinavia, Russia, Belarus and the Baltic countries. It is also considered native to Turkey, Iran and the Caucasus. It is naturalized in Denmark, South Australia, New South Wales, Nova Scotia and much of the eastern United States.
Allium is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants with hundreds of species, including the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, and chives. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic, and the type species for the genus is Allium sativum which means "cultivated garlic".