Ball leeks ∗ The 10 best planting and care tips

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Allium sphaerocephalon
• Genus: Allium (Allium)
• Family: Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae)
• Synonyms: ornamental onion, Ball-Headed Leek
• Occurrence: Europe, Canaries
• Growth type: perennial, bulbous
• Growth height: 50 cm to 100 cm
• Leaf: linear, grassy
• Flower: spherical umbel
• Fruit: capsule
• Hardiness: hardy
• Use: perennial bed, cottage garden, bee pasture

growth

ball leeks is a herbaceous, perennial bulbous plant from the Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). From the Mediterranean region to the Caucasus, the perennial prefers to inhabit dry green areas, sparse bushes, sunny vineyards and open fallow land. The native plant species of the leek genus (Allium) is also aptly called ornamental leek and ball-headed leek. In contrast to chives (Allium schoenoprasum), garlic (Allium sativum), leeks (Allium porrum) and other tasty conspecifics, the focus of ball onion is on this flowering variety Growth:

• growth habit: clumpy, upright perennial with round-oval inflorescences and grassy leaves.
• growth height: 50cm to 100cm.
• growth width: 20cm to 30cm.
• root: 3.5 cm large onion as outlasting organ.
• Horticulturally interesting properties: easy to care for, hardy, edible, bee friendly, tolerates pruning, long-lasting, high ornamental value.

blossom

Kugellauch is the lighthouse in the summer sea of ​​flowers. Unmissable blossoms with these characteristics are enthroned on stable stalks:

• inflorescence: umbel with numerous individual flowers.
• flower shape: rounded to ovate, tapering to a point.
• flower size: 1 cm to 4 cm in diameter.
• flower color: purple-red to purple-violet.
• heyday: June to August.
• flower ecology: hermaphroditic

With a nectar and pollen score of 4, Crimson Globe Garlic ranks among the best bee pastures, as the following video shows:

Flowering time on Kugellauch makes bee hearts beat faster

Sheet

In the lower area, the tightly upright inflorescence is surrounded by these decorative ornamental onion leaves:

• leaf shape: sessile, narrow linear to strap-like, smooth-edged.
• leaf color: green to blue-green.
• particularities: hollow inside, edible

fruit

Pollinated ball leek flowers turn into capsule fruits by autumn. The black seeds it contains are light germinators and cool germinators. Ball-headed leeks diligently self-sow for their propagation, which is not always well received by hobby gardeners.

use

Kugellauch blends harmoniously into any garden style. The floral versatility is a source of inspiration for creative and natural uses, as the following table shows:

Ball leek is popular in the Herb garden planted as a decorative kitchen herb. All parts of the Allium sphaerocephalon plant are edible and can be used as a herb.

Plant bulbs

In late summer you can buy ball leek bulbs for around 3.90 euros. Price-conscious hobby gardeners prefer planting by propagation. Ornamental onion bulbs are best planted from September to November. Where and how to plant ball leeks correctly, read here:

propagation

As a mother plant, ball-headed leeks eagerly produce daughter bulbs. These onions serve as ideal starting material for simple, vegetative propagation. That is how it goes:

1. The best time is in autumn.
2. Dig up the ball leek mother plant.
3. Place the onion on a solid surface.
4. Cut off the spring onions with a sharp, disinfected knife.
5. Cuts sprinkle with rock flour(€19.00 at Amazon*) or charcoal ash.
6. Plant the flower bulbs again, water them and mulch.

If you don't want to dig up your bulbs, wait until you sow them yourself. Seedlings with several leaves and a growth height of 10 centimeters or more can be transplanted to a suitable location in autumn. In contrast to this, generative propagation is through sowing a time-consuming endeavor. Allium sphaerocephalon seeds germinate only after a cold stimulus of several weeks. It takes two to three years for a ball leek seedling to flower.

Location

For a magnificent growth and a long flowering period, ball leeks are planted at this location:

• Sunny to shady position.
• Warm and sheltered from the wind.
• normal garden floor, preferably sandy-drained, moderately dry and calcareous.

planting tips

Important criteria for the expert planting of flower bulbs are good soil preparation, the correct orientation of the bulb and a well-judged planting distance. You can read interesting details in these planting tips:

• In preparation, dig the earth spade-deep, pull weeds, loamy soil improve with sand.
• The planting pit corresponds to twice to three times the volume of a ball of garlic bulbs.
• A thin layer of sand or lava granules(€14.00 at Amazon*) on the bottom of the pit prevents waterlogging.
• The bulb is planted with the pointed tip upwards.
• In group planting, the planting distance is 15 cm to 20 cm.

A layer of compost mulch provides valuable nutrients for the first flowering period. Marking the planting site with a wooden stick serves as a practical guide.

digression

Combine garlic imaginatively – tips

Cultivate ball leeks

Ball leeks are very easy to care for. The main pillars in the simple care program are watering, Fertilize and cutting. The best care tips for ornamental onions to read:

Pour

• Water the leeks sparingly with normal tap water.
• Water thoroughly once a week during summer drought.

Fertilize

• Allium sphaerocephalon in March and June fertilize with compost and horn shavings.(€9.00 at Amazon*)
• Alternatively an organic one complete fertilizer use with high phosphate and low nitrogen content.
• Extra tip: A portion of compost after autumn perennial pruning Thanks ball onions in spring with particularly beautiful flowers.

To cut

• Remove wilted flowers as soon as possible to prevent seed-rich fruits from forming.
• Cut off the stems and leaves at the earliest when the plant parts are completely brown and dead.

hibernate

• Globe leek bulbs are hardy and can linger in the ground.
• To protect against rotting due to winter wetness, the root disc is covered with leaves and brushwood.

diseases and pests

Robust ball leeks rarely give cause for complaints about diseases and pests. Occasional aphids are showered off without further ado. gluttonous snails you can collect in the early morning. A moving barrier made of grit or wood chips keeps the pests at bay.

Popular Varieties

Apart from the original species Allium sphaerocephalon, there are no other varieties of bulbs available in the trade. Nevertheless, there are alternative leek species and varieties with spherical flower heads to be discovered in tree nurseries and garden centers:

• Garlic 'Purple Sensation': Allium aflatunense with purple-violet spherical flowers, flowering period in May, height of growth 30 cm to 80 cm.
• giant leek: Allium giganteum boasts purplish-red globes of flowers enthroned on stalks up to 180 cm tall in July.
• Bluetongue Globe Garlic: delicate Allium karataviense flowers from April to May with pink-white flower balls, height of growth 10 cm to 25 cm.
• Ornamental Allium 'Cliffs of Dover': Allium tuberosum inspires with white, hemispherical flowers and edible leaves with a spicy garlic taste, growth height 20 cm to 70 cm.

FAQ

What is the name of the flower with purple ball blossoms?

The answer may surprise you, as it is a close relative of chives (Allium schoenoprasum), spring onions (Allium cepa) and other tasty leeks. Globe-headed leeks (Allium sphaerocephalon), also known as globe leeks, bloom in summer with purple flower balls perched on stalks up to 100 cm tall. One floor higher, giant leeks (Allium giganteum) as tall as a man carry their purple flower balls.

Ornamental onion leaves turn yellow before flowering. Cut or leave?

There is no cause for concern if ornamental onion leaves turn yellow before flowering. Ball leeks (Allium sphaerocephalon), giant leeks (Allium giganteum) and other leek species draw in their leaves before the first flower unfolds. Under no circumstances should you hastily cut off yellow ornamental onion leaves. The nutrients it contains are transferred to the onion and make an important contribution as an energy reserve for the next year.

Which perennials can you plant ball leeks together with?

Ball leek likes to surround itself with half-height ornamental grasses that caress its flower balls and hide the yellowing foliage. Recommended planting partners are: Prairie Teardrop Grass (Sporobolus), Mexican Feather Egret Grass (Stipa tenuissima) and Pearl Grass (Melica). The purple-violet flower balls float decoratively above low perennials such as lavender (Lavendula), gypsophila (Gypsophila), cranesbill (Geranium) and floribunda (Rosa).

Can you grow ball leeks from seeds?

Ball leeks can be propagated by sowing. However, growing from seed is a delicate and time-consuming endeavor. Allium sphaerocephalon seeds are equipped with germination inhibition. In order to overcome this inhibition threshold, the seed has to go through a cold phase lasting several weeks after an initial warm period. This works best in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator or on the wintry balcony.

Do you have to dig up the ball leeks before winter, like dahlia bulbs?

Ball leek (Allium sphaerocephalon) is a native perennial and hardy to -35° Celsius. For this reason you can leave the flower bulbs in the ground all year round. The wintry cold stimulus activates the budding system for the next flowering period. In contrast, frost-sensitive dahlia tubers are dug up for frost-free wintering indoors.