Allium tuberosum Seeds, garlic chives, Chinese chives, Oriental garlic, Chinese leek

Allium tuberosum Seeds, Garlic chives, Chinese chives, Oriental Garlic, Chinese leek Seeds

Key Features & Details

• Seed Pod: The plant produces attractive umbels of small, star-shaped white flowers that develop into seed heads, which can be used in arrangements. Deadhead to control self-seeding.
• Sowing: Sow seeds in spring in a cold frame, or directly outdoors after the last frost. For best results, sow seeds lightly and thin seedlings to about 12 inches apart.
• Notes: Allium tuberosum is a versatile perennial forming clump-like plants with long, flat, gray-green leaves. Its sweet-scented flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. The leaves emit a distinct onion or garlic scent when bruised. Deadhead flowers before they set seed to prevent aggressive spreading.

Botanical Information

• Botanical Name: Allium tuberosum
• Common Names: garlic chives, Chinese chives, Oriental garlic, Chinese leek
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Flower Color: white
• Flower Time: late summer to early fall
• Height: 10-20 inches tall

Characteristics and Usage

• Clump-forming plants
• Attractive umbels of star-shaped white flowers
• Fragrant, sweet-scented flowers
• Leaves emit a distinct onion or garlic scent when bruised
• Easy to grow
• Hardy perennial
• Drought tolerant once established
• Suitable for rock gardens, border fronts, or containers
• Flowers are good for cutting
• Dried seed heads can be used in arrangements
• Good companion plant for roses, tomatoes, and carrots
• Strong scent thought to deter pests like aphids and carrot flies
• Believed to improve the scent of roses
• Whole plant is said to repel insects and moles
• Avoid growing next to peas and beans

Growing Conditions

• Sunlight: Grows best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained, moist, and rich soil, but is adaptable and can tolerate most soil types, including clay.
• Soil pH: Tolerates various pH, including very alkaline soils.
• Moisture: Prefers moist conditions, but is drought-tolerant once established.
• Germination: Seeds can be sown in spring in a cold frame, or directly outdoors after the last frost.
• Propagation: Easily started from seed. Spreads by self-seeding and tuberous rootstocks. Clumps can be lifted and divided every 3-4 years in early spring to maintain vigor.
• Additional Notes: Allium tuberosum is a hardy perennial, typically thriving in warmer climates, it may remain evergreen; in colder regions, the foliage dies back to the ground in winter and resprouts in spring.

Uses and Garden Appeal

• Attracts Wildlife: Highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
• Soap Substitute: No