Have you ever thought that garlic could be decorative? We are not referring to garlic itself, but to the garlic plant. Maybe you've never seen it like this, but the truth is that there is a plant, the Allium sphaerocephalon, known as ornamental garlic, that can change your mind.
But what features does it have? How do you take care of yourself? All of that is what we want to talk to you about below. Go for it?
What are the characteristics of the Allium sphaerocephalon
El Allium sphaerocephalon It is not usually sold or known by its scientific name, but rather goes by common names stork garlic, round head garlic, dog garlic or mountain garlic. Although the truth is that it is normally called an ornamental garlic plant.
It is a herb that is perennial, that is, it will be there all year round. It measures between 40 and 80 centimeters high and its natural habitat is in croplands, grasslands, roads... This is already telling you that it is a fairly resistant and wild plant.
The stem is quite long for its height, but what you should know about it is that it is hollow inside. This means that it can twist and sometimes the plants do not come out with erect stems. Other bulbs emerge from that stem. But The most interesting thing about the plant is its flower, a very intense pink color.
La flowering of Allium sphaerocephalon takes place between April and June. It is usually a single flower that can measure up to 8 centimeters in diameter. About twenty spokes of different sizes emerge from this, giving it its oval appearance. Its petals are ovate and elongated while the fruit that it bears later is a small capsule.
If you have the chance, take a closer look at those petals because they will impress you. In addition to the intense red color (sometimes fuchsia), you will see that it has brown or black lines that make it even more beautiful. And the stamens, which protrude from the petals, are light yellow to white in color.
Caring for the Allium sphaerocephalon
Now that you know better the Allium sphaerocephalon You may be interested in having it in your home. And to do this, with the aim that it lasts a long time and that you can give it everything it needs, we have made a file for you so that you know what are the most important care that you should provide. Look at them.
Location
Let's start with the best place where you should place the Allium sphaerocephalon. In this case, The best place is outside. We are talking about a wild plant and due to its needs it is important to have it outside the home.
Now, if you can provide it with the needs it has inside, then you could try to see if it adapts. Not all plants do this, but this could be one of them.
As for whether it is more of a pot or a soil one, the truth is that it adapts to everything.
Substratum
The best substrate for Allium sphaerocephalon It is one that is light, has good drainage and is also fertile. And which one can meet those requirements? We recommend that you make a Mix it with universal soil, some worm castings and drainage such as perlite.
By mixing all this you will get a substrate that nourishes the plant while preventing waterlogging when you water it or when it rains.
Keep in mind that when planting the bulb of the Allium sphaerocephalon you will have to do it from autumn to the end of February if you want to enjoy the flowers in summer. Therefore, it is important to have this substrate on hand to do so. At first you can plant them in small pots, but for them to grow larger, a larger pot is best.
Irrigation
El Allium sphaerocephalon It is not a demanding plant with watering. In fact, although it demands it, you don't have to be very careful about it either because it withstands periods of drought without affecting its health or flowering. This is because they store water and thus distribute it over time.
Only when you see that the soil is very dry will you have to water it. The truth is that if you overdo it with water, the plant does suffer and you also have the problem that fungi may appear that put the vitality of the plant at risk.
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As for the fertilizer, as a wild plant that we consider it to be, The truth is that you don't need it. Another thing is that you want to add it to the irrigation water.
If so, we recommend that you do it in summer, which is its flowering time, but only half the dose recommended by the manufacturer to prevent it from having too many nutrients.
Light and temperature
Before we have told you about the location of the plant. And now we are going to focus on the light and temperature needs it has.
El Allium sphaerocephalon It is a plant that demands sun. Too much sun. In fact he loves it. So if you place it in a very bright area, it will thank you with more abundant flowering.
Regarding temperature, it tolerates temperatures well and also low ones. But the latter should only be if you are in an area where the sun shines. If you have it in semi-shade or shade, the cold can affect it.
Propagation and multiplication
El Allium sphaerocephalon grows through bulbs. When flowering ends, The plant usually withers and goes into a kind of dormancy until the following spring.. Unlike other bulbous plants, it does not have to be removed from the pot, but rather left there. And what is done after about two or three years is to divide the bush according to the bulbs that have grown from the mother plant.
This is easy to do, you just need a sharp knife and separate each bulb to plant them separately (or in small groups).
Plagues and diseases
In general, the Allium sphaerocephalon It does not have pests or diseases that could affect it beyond excess water or lack of light.. In the first case you can cause fungi to appear that do endanger the survival of the plant. In the second, it could cause it not to flower or be weaker.
Have you had any questions about the Allium sphaerocephalon? Do you dare to have an ornamental garlic plant in your garden?