Allium 'Mount Everest'

Allium 'Mount Everest': Snowball Heads Held High

Pure white globes on tall stems, peaking above the rest of the border like it just planted a flag. 'Mount Everest' gives you the summit and the snow, without the frostbite. NO OXYGEN TANK REQUIRED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Allium stipitatum 'Mount Everest'
• Common Name: Ornamental Onion
• Height: 90–120 cm (3–4 ft)
• Spread: 30 cm (1 ft)
• Flowers: Pure white, star-shaped florets in tight, round heads up to about 12 cm (5 in) across
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Strap-shaped, grey-green basal leaves that fade around bloom time
• Features: Good cut flower, RHS Award of Garden Merit

Where to Plant: Plant it in groups through the middle or back of a sunny border. The white heads look best against a dark backdrop, such as a dark fence or wall, and they light up an evening garden. Give it leafy neighbours at its base to hide the fading leaves.

Companion Plants: Geranium 'Boom Chocolatta' fills in around the stems with purple flowers from June to August. Nepeta Whispurr™ Pink adds a soft pink mound that hides the allium's fading leaves. Liatris cylindracea follows with purple spikes from July to September. Plant them all in full sun, where the white globes can float above.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Bulbs rot in wet winter soil, so in heavy clay add grit or plant on a slope. A spot sheltered from strong wind helps the tall stems stay upright. Water while it's growing in spring. After flowering, let the leaves die back on their own so the bulb can store energy for next year. Leave the seed heads for structure, or cut them for arrangements. Lift and divide crowded clumps once the foliage has withered.

History: 'Mount Everest' is a selection of Allium stipitatum, a tall ornamental onion native to the mountains of Central Asia, named for its height and snowy white heads. It holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Final Thoughts: Plant a few bulbs in fall and conquer spring. The bees climb it anyway, and the deer stay down below. BASE CAMP IS YOUR FRONT YARD.