hybrid_gallery

Allium 'Constellation'

The first breakthough in my quest to hybridize rhizomatous alliums arrived in my garden as a "fluke", a uniquely beautiful allium distributed in seed exchanges as Allium "komarovianum", the misnomer a synonym for an unrelated Japanase species; A. thunbergii.

I recognized this plant as a hybrid, with strong resemblance to Allium nutans, a Siberian species with completely spherical blooms and a pincushion effect because of the long exserted stamens. Similar to nutans, the stems are strongly "winged", a rather unique characteristic. The green foliage however, looked more like A. senescens than the wide gray strap-like leaves of A. nutans. Click on this link to view the broad, twisting foliage of Allium nutans.

This plant should not suffer in anonymity, so I named it Allium 'Constellation'. This plant has proved invaluable in producing a whole range of new Allium hybrids with large showy flowers that appear late in the summer (July - Aug - Sept).

Allium 'Satellite' copyright © 2000 Mark McDonough

Allium 'Satellite'
Growing on seedlings from Allium 'Constellation'
produced a whole range of interesting progeny
with clumps of strap-like foliage and tall, strong
stems and fully spherical flowers of bright pink.
From the numerous seedlings I named only one
selection; Allium 'Satellite'. On the far left is a
single flower head of a white form of A. nutans,
one of the putative parents. (see larger image)

Allium 'Satellite'
The flowers have a strong, sweet yet "oniony"
perfume, and the bees and butterflies seem
mesmerized by the aromatic flowers on warm,
sunny days. Stems reach 24"-28" (60-70 cm)
tall, often 2-3 stems emerging from each bulb.
This plant is an excellent pollen parent, leading
the way to even better things down the road.
This selection flowers mid July - mid August.


Allium 'Summer Pink' This plant is a selection from open pollinated seed of the autumn-blooming "Circle Onion"; A. senescens ssp. glaucum. The subspecies is known for it's low spiralling clumps of gray, strap-like leaves and pleasant pink flowers in September. This hybrid grows much taller and flowers in August; most likely a back-cross with regular tall forms of A. senescens.	Allium 'Summer Pink' This excellent hybrid is special on several accounts. The hemispherical flower heads are much larger than ssp. glaucum, appearing ample and delicately open in disposition. The gray leaves swirl and twist just like glaucum, except growing much taller. The plants are floriferous on account of producing 2-3 stems stems per bulb. (click to see a larger image)

Questions or comments on this page? Contact Mark McDonough at antennaria@aol.com.

Allium hybrids (rhizomatous types) - Gallery 1

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