Pink lily leek

Pink lily leek: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small plant 10–15 cm tall and 5–10 cm wide.

Leaves

One or two narrow, strap-like, grey-green leaves at the base; they wither soon after flowering.

Flower

Loose, half-round heads 3–5 cm across with bell-shaped flowers, in May and June.

Colour

Deep pink to carmine, with a dark central vein on each petal.

Bulb

Small, round bulb that slowly spreads by offsets.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: September–November · Pruning: July

Why grow it?

• Vivid deep pink flowers in May and June, at a height where few other bulbs are still flowering.
• Drought tolerant and hardy: ideal for a rock garden, gravel garden or stone trough.
• Bees love to visit the open bells.
• So small that it fits in a narrow strip, between stepping stones or at the front of a sunny border.
• In a good spot it slowly spreads into a colourful little carpet.

Pink lily leek: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, in an open spot where it is not shaded by larger plants.
• Sandy or loamy, very free-draining soil, neutral to chalky.
• Dry, especially in summer, when the bulb is dormant.
• Plant in groups of 10–20 bulbs, 5–8 cm apart, in a rock garden, gravel garden, stone trough or at the front of a border.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.15 m tall, 0.1 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Thyme: A fragrant, low mat that flowers later in June, for the same dry spot.
• Houseleek: Green and red rosettes that look good all year between the bulbs.
• Thrift: Pink pompoms above grassy tufts, a lovely colour harmony.
• Stonecrop: Covers the ground and flowers in summer, when the allium is dormant.

Pink lily leek: when and how to plant it?

Plant in September–November.

1. Plant the bulbs in September, October or November.
2. Make sure drainage is excellent; mix grit or fine gravel into the soil.
3. Plant the bulbs 5–8 cm deep, tip pointing up.
4. Space them 5–8 cm apart and plant them close together in a group.
5. Watering is usually not needed, unless the autumn is very dry.
6. Spread a layer of gravel over the spot: the leaves stay dry and the pink stands out better.

Care

Watering

Not needed in open ground. In a trough only in a dry spring; keep dry in summer.

Feeding

Not needed: on poor soil it stays compact and flowers better.

Mulching

A layer of gravel rather than compost: it keeps the base dry.

Foliage

Let it wither naturally after flowering; only remove it once it is dry.

Deadheading

Leave the heads if you want seedlings, or cut them off in July.

Dividing

Every 4–5 years, when the group becomes crowded and flowers less.

Tip: Plant at least ten bulbs close together: such a small plant only stands out in a group, and against gravel the deep pink looks even better.

Pink lily leek: when to prune it?

Pruning months: July.

When: No pruning is needed. In July, clear away the withered leaves and faded flower stems.

How:

• Cut faded stems off just above the ground, or let them set seed.
• Leave the leaves until they are yellow and dry, then gently pull them away.
• Keep the spot free of larger neighbours that would shade the bulbs.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Offsets

In July–August, while the plant is dormant, lift a crowded group, separate the offsets and replant them in September, 5–8 cm deep.

Seed

Sow ripe seed in autumn in a pot of gritty seed compost left outdoors. Seedlings flower after about 3 years.

Pink lily leek: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• Wet is more dangerous than cold; make sure drainage is excellent.
• In a trough or pot: in winter, keep it out of the heaviest rain, for instance under a porch roof.

Diseases and pests

• Bulb rot: The bulbs go soft and fail to come up in soil that is too wet. Replant in gritty, dry soil.
• Slugs: They eat the young leaves and buds. Pick them off in the evening; a layer of gravel helps.
• Being swamped: Such a low plant quickly disappears under larger neighbours. Give it an open spot at the front.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or soil that is too rich and moist. Move it during its summer rest to a sunnier, poorer spot.

Through the year

• March: Leaves appear. Top up the gravel.
• April: Watch out for slugs. Flower buds form.
• May: Flowering begins.
• June: In flower. Bees on the flowers. Do not water.
• July: Clear withered leaves and flower stems. Summer rest.
• August: Keep dry. Lift and divide crowded groups.
• September: Plant bulbs.
• October: Plant bulbs. Sow ripe seed.
• November: Plant the last bulbs. Move troughs out of the rain.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Ornamental onions are true alliums, related to onion, garlic, leek and chives, and like them they are poisonous to dogs and cats: all parts, especially the bulbs, contain sulphur compounds that damage the red blood cells and can cause anaemia. Cats are more sensitive than dogs, and the signs (lethargy, pale gums, red or brown urine) sometimes appear only after a few days. Horses, sheep and other livestock can fall ill from them too. Even though the leaves and bulbs smell of onion, they are not grown as vegetables: do not eat them, and never store the bulbs with the kitchen onions, as they are not meant for eating and may have been treated with pesticides. Do not plant them where your dog digs, keep loose bulbs out of reach of pets and children, and do not put a vase of alliums where your cat chews the stems. If your dog or cat has eaten a bulb or leaves, call your vet, even if it shows no signs yet. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Oreophilum is Greek for ‘mountain-loving’: oros means mountain and philos friend.
• It used to be called Allium ostrowskianum; you will still find it under that name in older books and catalogues.
• Its dry summer rest is an adaptation to the hot, dry summers in the mountains of Central Asia.