Allium rosenbachianum seeds – (Rosenbach allium)

Description

Picture thanks to Jelitto seeds https://www.jelitto.com

Allium Rosenbachianum is a magnificent garden plant. It is very desirable and hard to source.

It has very large 10-12  cm round heads of rose violet flowers, with violet stamens which extend from the flower.  The starry shaped  flowers are  tightly packed into the spheres.

It comes from high in the Himalayas of  Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Its flower scapes grow to 1 metre tall.  It blooms about 2 weeks earlier than the other tall globe alliums.

The allium family is reportedly unattractive to deer and rodents and is seldom affected by disease

Note that allium plants grown from seed will take about 3 years before the bulb is large enough to produce flowers.

Seed Raising Advice

Allium seeds need a period of moisture and cold after a period of warmth, to break dormancy, before they will germinate.
The period of cold can be provided by placing the moistened seed in a refrigerator. Put the seed into one fold of a moistened paper kitchen towel, folded into 4 ,and which has been gently squeezed to eliminate most of the water, seal the paper & seeds in a plastic bag and propagate at 18-22 deg C for 2-4 weeks. Inspect from time to time, and if any have sprouted lift them out carefully, pot up, and propagate them at 5-12 deg. C. After the 4 weeks , put into the refrigerator door for 4 to 6 weeks at around -4 to +4°C. Inspect & pot up any germinated seeds, and propagate them at 5-12 deg. C. After chilling bring ungerminated seeds , out of the fridge to 5-12 ° C for germination. If there is no sign of germination after about 12 weeks, the hot and cold procedures above should be repeated for any ungerminated seeds.