Description
The entire plant is edible and strongly aromatic whether used raw or cooked. Bulbils originally came through seed exchanges with VanDusen Botanical Gardens’ Seed Collectors years ago. Its tall narrow hollow leaves at passing glance resembles grass or sedge in the spring. Purple flowers on long stalks are arranged in small ping-pong ball sized spheres adorn the main stem. Much loved by bumblebees.
Small bulbs are wrapped in a paper-like casing just like cultivated garlic. It only forms one 1cm sized single clove bulb. It makes offsets along with the bulbils. Does not need to be dug up and replanted unless the patch is becoming congested. Hardy perennial. Becomes dormant by mid August. Probably deer resistant.
- Bulbil Count: 12-15
- Collection Date: August 2026
- Hardiness Zone: 4-9
- Height and Width: 45 cm x 4cm
- Germination test type: hand sort
How to grow Allium vineale bulbils:
Its best to sow upon arrival as these are living bulbils not seed. In a well draining humus rich medium plant the bulbils pointy end up. If you cannot tell which is the pointy end, place on its side. Cover 1 cm with with same medium mix. Moisten and tamp firm. Apply a thin layer of mulch. Give cool but not freezing temps if sowing in the fall. Don’t let sprouting bulbils dry out.
