16 Pretty Allium Varieties to Add an Explosion of Color to Your Garden

Purple Sensation Allium

This allium variety is a showstopper, thanks to its four- to five-inch globes of vivid purple flowers that grow on stalks up to three feet tall. Plant your bulbs in the fall, and they'll come back year after year.

Name: Allium 'Purple Sensation'

Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade in well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall

Zones: 4–9

Buy It: 'Purple Sensation' Allium ($15 for a dozen, White Flower Farm)

Blue Allium

This smaller ornamental onion offers sky-blue blooms in a ball-like cluster around one inch wide. Plant the bulbs in the fall, two to four inches deep, in beds, borders, rock gardens, and meadows.

Name: Allium caeruleum

Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall

Zones: 4–8

Buy It: Persian Blue Allium Super Sak ($40 for 50, Breck's)

Chives

Easily grown from seed, and popular in the kitchen for their mild onion flavor, chives have tubular, grass-like, dark green leaves that grow in dense clumps. Its clover-like clusters of pale purple flowers add a splash of color to herb gardens, but also look gorgeous grown as an ornamental in borders or container gardens.

Name: Allium schoenoprasum

Bloom Season: Mid to late spring

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 18 inches tall

Zones: 4–8

Golden Garlic

Commonly known as golden garlic, or lily leek, Allium moly really stands out with its yellow-hued blooms. This delicate-looking rock-garden favorite is actually quite tough, tolerating hot, dry conditions well.

Name: Allium moly

Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 15 inches tall

Zones: 3–9

Buy It: Allium moly ($13 for 50, White Flower Farm)

Star of Persia

Commonly called Star of Persia, this species produces the largest blooms of any Allium and can have up to 100 individual flowers packed into one flower head. The light purple flower heads can reach up to 12 inches in diameter. Plant new bulbs in the fall, three to six inches deep and 10 to 12 inches apart. Star of Persia is especially nice as a fresh cut or dried flower.

Name: Allium cristophii

Bloom Season: Late spring

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall

Zones: 4–8

Globemaster Allium

One of the taller varieties you can find, 'Globemaster' is ornamentally grown for its spring bloom of light-purple flower heads that are typically 6 to 10 inches in diameter. This variety is an eye-catching accent in the garden, as well as a long-lasting cut flower.

Name: Allium 'Globemaster'

Bloom Season: Late spring

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 4 feet tall

Zones: 5–8

Buy It: Giant Allium Globemaster Seeds ($3, Etsy)

Turkistan Onion

Known for having leaves that are as beautiful as its flowers, Turkistan onion is among the shorter ornamental Allium varieties. It works well when planted in groups in rock gardens, border fronts, containers, and window boxes. Its pink flower heads are three to six inches across, held above three- to four-inch wide gray-green leaves.

Name: Allium karataviense

Bloom Season: Late spring to early summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 1 foot tall

Zones: 4–8

Buy It: Allium karataviense Bulbs ($23 for a dozen, John Scheepers)

Pink Lily Leek

Though it's a shorter, smaller Allium, pink lily leek produces eye-catching magenta florets that form a loose flower head. It makes an especially stunning display when planted in masses. The blooms work well in fresh or dried flower arrangements.

Name: Allium oreophilum

Bloom Season: Late spring

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 18 inches tall

Zones: 4–10

Buy It: Allium oreophilum Bulbs ($5 for 25, American Meadows)

Three-Cornered Leek

The dainty, drooping white flowers of three-cornered leek form loose clusters on triangular stalks (hence its common name). It grows well with roses, carrots, beets and chamomile, but it can actually prevent legumes from thriving, so steer clear of that pairing.

Name: Allium triquetrum

Bloom Season: Late spring

Growing Conditions: Sun or shade and moist, well-drained soil

Size: To 18 inches tall

Zones: 3–8

Buy It: Triquetrum Allium (from $22, Mary's Garden Patch)

Millenium Allium

An especially long-blooming variety, 'Millenium' fills the late-summer garden with light-purple color. The two-inch-wide heads float above a mound of glossy green foliage. It's a reliable accent plant for mixed borders and cottage gardens.

Name: Allium 'Millenium'

Bloom Season: Late summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 1 foot tall

Zones: 5–8

Garlic Chives

If you're looking for an edible white allium, you've found it. Also called Chinese chives, garlic chives bloom from late summer into fall and produce 2-inch wide clusters of white flowers. Be sure to deadhead the flowers before they set seeds to prevent the sprouting of unwanted seedlings throughout the garden.

Name: Allium tuberosum

Bloom Season: Late summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 18 inches tall

Zones: 3-9

Buy It: Garlic Chives Seeds ($3, Walmart)

Drumstick Allium

Also known as round-headed leek, this Allium species produces cute, reddish-purple egg-shape flower heads. Each flower head comprises a tight cluster of tiny florets that emerge deep green but mature (top to bottom) to rose-purple. It's best grown in large groups in rock gardens, beds and borders, and open woodland areas, but it also grows well in containers.

Name: Allium sphaerocephalon

Bloom Season: Early to midsummer

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall

Zones: 3-10

Buy It: Drumstick Allium Bulbs ($9, Breck's)

Hair Allium

Love it or hate it, this Allium variety is definitely unique. 'Hair' produces blooms with purple centers that have green hairlike extensions. Its unusual appearance adds unique texture to beds and borders, and no doubt will be a conversation starter!

Name: Allium vineale 'Hair'

Bloom Season: Late spring

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall

Zones: 3–8

Buy It: 'Hair' Allium Bulbs ($13 for 15, Breck's)

Persian Blue Allium

One of the most common species of Allium, Persian blue produces a four- to five-inch ball of vivid purple-blue flowers. Plant the bulbs in the fall, six to eight inches deep and about eight inches apart. This long-lasting variety attracts pollinators and is deer- and rodent-resistant.

Name: Allium aflatunense

Bloom Season: Late spring or early summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall

Zones: 4-8

Buy It: Persian Blue Allium ($9, Breck's)

Mount Everest Allium

As majestic as its namesake, 'Mount Everest' offers six-inch heads of bright white flowers on tall stems. For the best visual impact, plant at least 10 to 15 bulbs in a group. 'Mount Everest' mixes beautifully with other late-spring blooming flowers, such as delphiniums, peonies, or irises.

Name: Allium 'Mount Everest'

Bloom Season: Late spring or early summer

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall

Zones: 4–8

Buy It: Allium 'Mount Everest' ($21 for 3, White Flower Farm)

Nectaroscordum

Though technically not an allium, this close relative is often sold as one. Nectaroscordum siculum, commonly known as Sicilian honey garlic, produces bell-shaped flowers with reddish-purple markings. The seed heads dry well and can be used in dried flower arrangements.

Name: Nectaroscordum siculum

Bloom Season: Late spring

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 4 feet tall

Zones: 5-10

Buy It: Sicilian Honey Lily ($10 for 6, Breck's)