Allium sikkimense

Allium sikkimense, also known as Allium cyaneum, is a rare species in cultivation, native to the high mountains of Nepal. Classified in the category of ornamental garlic, it is a unique bulbous plant with an intense blue colour. It blooms in August, in the form of pendulous hemispherical umbels composed of cobalt blue flowers with a black throat. This garlic retains its gramineous foliage throughout the flowering period, unlike most other cultivated species. It is very hardy and perennial in well-drained soils, where it will eventually form beautiful clumps.

This garlic is native to Sikkim, a region in northern India located in the Himalayan mountains. Its distribution range extends to Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal. Allium sikkimense grows in meadows, shrublands, and forest edges at high altitudes. Rarely cultivated, it stands out for its blue inflorescences, perched at a height of 35cm (14in), corresponding to small umbels not exceeding 4 to 5cm (2in) in diameter. Made up of numerous bright blue star-shaped flowers with violet central veins, this flowering usually occurs in the middle of August. The basal leaves are linear and thin, tinged with medium green. The foliage turns yellow and disappears after flowering. The storage organ is a group of narrow, cylindrical underground bulbs (less than 5mm in diameter), covered with a brown, fibrous tunic.

Unique, elegant, and colourful, Allium sikkimense appreciates moist but well-drained soils during its growing period. It prefers a sunny or semi-shaded location. It is perfect in rockeries or borders. It can be grown in a pot or in an alpine trough to enjoy its beautiful flowering on a balcony or patio. Plant it in groups of 5, nestled among low ornamental grasses, or among other varieties of pink or mauve alliums.

Handy vegetable garden tip: plant some ornamental garlic in the middle of strawberries to protect them from fungal diseases. They will add a few pleasant blooms that are sometimes lacking among vegetables.