Photo: Kurt Stüber [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
| Scientific name | Allium giganteum |
|---|---|
| Genus | Allium |
| Origin | Central Asia |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
| Region | East Asia |
Allium giganteum, common name giant onion or giant leek, is an Asian species of onion in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), subfamily Allioideae, native to central and southwestern Asia but cultivated in many countries as a flowering garden plant. It is the tallest species of Allium in common cultivation, growing to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). In early to midsummer, small globes of intense purple umbels appear, followed by attractive fruiting umbels. A popular cultivar, 'Globemaster', is shorter (80 centimetres (31 in)) but produces much larger, deep violet, umbels (15–20 centimetres (5.9–7.9 in)). These globular umbels can contain thousands of florets (i.e. tiny flowers).