Allium 'Statos'

Few garden bulbs are more dramatic during late spring than the alliums, or ornamental onions. They produce globe-shaped flowerheads that always draw attention, particularly when grown en masse. Allium 'Statos' is, without doubt, one of the best. Its rounded heads are large, and packed with dark purple, star-shaped flowers. It is a sport of the highly popular Allium 'Gladiator', but the blooms of Allium 'Statos' are of a deeper shade, and the stems are stronger and sturdier, too. If you are lucky, it produces multiple flowers per bulb! The bottom parts of the stems are a lovely deep reddish-purple, while the strap-shaped basal leaves are a glossy, bright green.

This allium is perfect for growing in beds and borders, or larger patio containers. It grows to around 1.2m in height, and is easy to grow. Allium 'Statos' also makes an excellent cut flower – it is widely used in the professional cut flower industry. Even the attractive, dried flower/seedheads last a long time indoors.

Fun fact: Allium 'Statos' should really be Allium 'Stratos'! Named after the son-in-law of the Greek grower who first developed this allium, unfortunately the 'R' was omitted from the application form for officially naming it!