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Drumstick allium

Allium sphaerocephalon

Climate-suitable non-native

Growing guidance

Horticultural figures below are practitioner estimates for planning, pending expert review. The botanical record further down is sourced and verifiable.

Current-climate suitability

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Future-climate resilience

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Sun

Full sun

Soil moisture

free-draining, average

Heat tolerance

Up to about 44°C

Cold tolerance

Down to about -25°C

Waterlogging tolerance

1/5

Drought tolerance

5/5

Mature size

0.6–0.9 m tall, 0.15 m spread

Seasonal interest

Midsummer · Maroon

Maintenance

low

Wildlife supported

General wildlife value 5/5 (verified species relationships are shown only where structured data exists)

Known risks or warnings

Foliage dies back untidily at flowering.

Toxicity: mild

Verified botanical record

Accepted scientific name
Allium sphaerocephalon L.
Family
Amaryllidaceae (Asparagales)
Rank and status
species · accepted
GBIF record
Taxon 2857616

Recorded native range: Portugal Continental

Recorded as introduced in: Belgium

Ranges are exactly as recorded in the GBIF source checklists and may be incomplete for widely cultivated species.

Allium sphaerocephalon is a plant species in the Amaryllis family known as round-headed leek, round-headed garlic, ball-head onion, and other variations on these names. Drumstick allium is another common name applied to this species. Some publications use the alternate spelling Allium sphaerocephalum. It is a bulbous herbaceous perennial plant. Allium sphaerocephalon is found in the wild across all parts of Europe except in the northern and western countries (Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the Baltic States). Its native range extends to northern Africa and to western Asia as far east as Iran. It is also reportedly naturalised in New York State in the United States. In England it grows wild only in the Avon Gorge so is known locally as the Bristol onion.

Description from Wikipedia — Allium sphaerocephalon (CC BY-SA), shortened and unedited in substance.

Native status and geographic context

  • United Kingdom: climate-suitable
  • United States: climate-suitable
  • Australia: climate-suitable

Native status is never inferred from climate similarity. Plants restricted or invasive in a jurisdiction are excluded from recommendations there.

Demonstration data. Climate, plant and retailer records shown here are realistic samples awaiting horticultural validation and live data connections.