Jump to content

Allium caesium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Allium caesium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: A. subg. Allium
Species:
A. caesium
Binomial name
Allium caesium
Synonyms[1]
  • Allium aemulans Pavlov
  • Allium azureum Bunge
  • Allium caeruleum Stschegl.
  • Allium renardii Regel
  • Allium urceolatum Regel

Allium caesium, light blue garlic, is a species of herbaceous perennial flowering plant native to central Asia (Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). It grows in deserts and dry fields at elevations of 700–2,000 m (2,300–6,600 ft).[2]

Allium caesium is typically about 30–40 cm (12–16 in) tall, and grows best in full sun to partial shade.[3] It produces round bulbs up to 15 mm across. The scapes are up to 65 cm (26 in) tall. The leaves are round in cross-section, and slightly shorter than the scapes. The flowers are sky-blue.[2][4][5] They typically appear in the summer (June to August in England) and attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.[6] The Latin specific epithet caesium means "grey-blue".[7]

In cultivation in the UK, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[8] In the US it is suitable for hardiness zones 4-7.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Plant List
  2. ^ a b Flora of China v 24 p 199
  3. ^ "Allium caesium". Farmer Gracy. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  4. ^ Schrenk, Alexander Gustav von. 1844. Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 2: 113.
  5. ^ Regel, Eduard August von. 1873. Gartenflora 22:236.
  6. ^ "Allium caesium". Ballyrobert Gardens. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  7. ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 978-1845337315.
  8. ^ "Allium caesium". Royal Horticultural Society. 2002. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Allium caesium". www.johnscheepers.com. Retrieved 2021-05-27.