Allium senescens subsp. montanum Summer Beauty

The Allium senescens 'Summer Beauty' is an ornamental onion that stands out for its long and beautiful summer flowering in a vibrant purple-pink. With its compact habit and dark green leaves that remain decorative for a long time, this variety is ideal for adorning borders, pots, and sunny beds. Easy to grow, very hardy, and drought-resistant, it offers great flexibility for gardening enthusiasts. Its flowers are very long-lasting as both fresh and dried cut flowers.

The Allium 'Summer Beauty' belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, known for its ornamental and edible species. Commonly called ornamental onion or German garlic, this cultivar is a horticultural selection. The species type Allium senescens is sometimes referenced under synonyms such as Allium montanum. Native to temperate regions of Northern Europe and Asia, particularly from Siberia to Korea, this species is typically found in dry meadows, rocky areas, and open woodlands. It is a perennial plant, its life cycle characterised by a period of active growth in spring and summer, followed by a period of dormancy in winter.

The cultivar 'Summer Beauty' was introduced by Dr Joe Halinar from Oregon. It is distinguished by its compact habit and forms a flowering clump 40 to 55 cm tall with a spread of 30 to 40 cm at maturity in open ground. The plant produces offsets, enabling the clump to expand gradually over the years. The inflorescences of the 'Summer Beauty' are globular umbels of 5 cm in diameter, formed of 25 to 30 very small bell-shaped flowers of a purplish colour. These inflorescences appear from July to August, sometimes until September depending on the climate. They are borne on sturdy, upright stems. The melliferous and nectariferous flowers attract various pollinators including bees and butterflies. The foliage consists of dark green, glossy, strap-shaped leaves measuring about 30 cm long, emitting an onion scent when crushed. These leaves form a dense and attractive clump that remains decorative throughout the growing season, then dries as the bulb enters dormancy.

Planted en masse along a pathway or in small groups of 3 to 5 in a perennial bed, or even among vegetable plants, this 'Summer Beauty' onion does not go unnoticed. It pairs well with catmints and lavandins, but also with woodland sages. Its flowers will add structure to a contemporary garden with various contrasting geometric forms. It can also be combined with dwarf boxwood and even with creeping conifers.