Allium hookeri
Native to India, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar, Bhutan and south-western China, but also widely cultivated outside its native range, and valued as a food item in much of South and Southeast Asia.
Allium hookeri is apparently evergreen in its native range and in much of the area where it is commonly cultivated, but here in Scotland it is deciduous, dying right back to the ground in autumn and appearing again quite late in spring, when it reappears first as clusters of edible leaves, but is soon followed by many white flowers that stay for a long time and are very attractive to bees and other pollinators. Underground, the plant has a cluster of thin bulbs with thick, fleshy roots. Unusually for an allium, it is the roots which are traditionally eaten, rather than the bulbs (also edible, but small and fiddly).
This is a good allium for naturalizing as part of a forest garden as it is hardy, grows well in dappled shade and needs little attention. However, like many alliums it does not suffer competition from weeds and may need occasional weeding until it is well established. Clumps will expand year on year and will also reproduce from seed without help. Alliums generally grow well with most plants, especially roses, fruit bushes, carrots, celery, celeriac, beet and chamomile, but they inhibit the growth of legumes.
Plants can be grown from seed or from divisions.
Seed:
Gather the seedpods in autumn when they start to change colour from dark green to yellowish green, but before they fall off the plants. Dry the seed pods on a tray indoors before storing. The seeds stay tight in the pods and are difficult to separate but there is only one seed to a pod so they can be planted complete.
Seeds do not need any special treatment to germinate. Sow in early spring, either where they are to grow or in seed trays for later transplant. Scatter seeds on the surface and cover with a very thin layer of compost, soil or vermiculite.
Will also self-seed if left alone and young plants can be dug up in early summer and replanted (it can be best to plant in pots first, particularly if the weather is hot and dry, then plant out when a good root system has formed).
Division:
Lift and divide mature clumps in late spring when the leaves first appear. Plant divisions in pots of general-purpose compost and keep moist and shaded until roots appear through the bottom of the pot. They can then be planted out.
Harvesting and eating:
We don’t yet have enough plants to dig them up and eat the roots, so we can’t comment on how appetizing they are or how to cook them (if anyone has experience of this, we’d be interested to learn about it). We use the young leaves raw in salads and as a garnish on soups and other cooked dishes. Older leaves are very nice cooked in stir-fries or chopped and added to soups towards the end of cooking time. Flowers are delicious added to salads and make an attractive and tasty garnish for cooked dishes.
Allium hookeri is apparently evergreen in its native range and in much of the area where it is commonly cultivated, but here in Scotland it is deciduous, dying right back to the ground in autumn and appearing again quite late in spring, when it reappears first as clusters of edible leaves, but is soon followed by many white flowers that stay for a long time and are very attractive to bees and other pollinators. Underground, the plant has a cluster of thin bulbs with thick, fleshy roots. Unusually for an allium, it is the roots which are traditionally eaten, rather than the bulbs (also edible, but small and fiddly).
This is a good allium for naturalizing as part of a forest garden as it is hardy, grows well in dappled shade and needs little attention. However, like many alliums it does not suffer competition from weeds and may need occasional weeding until it is well established. Clumps will expand year on year and will also reproduce from seed without help. Alliums generally grow well with most plants, especially roses, fruit bushes, carrots, celery, celeriac, beet and chamomile, but they inhibit the growth of legumes.
Plants can be grown from seed or from divisions.
Seed:
Gather the seedpods in autumn when they start to change colour from dark green to yellowish green, but before they fall off the plants. Dry the seed pods on a tray indoors before storing. The seeds stay tight in the pods and are difficult to separate but there is only one seed to a pod so they can be planted complete.
Seeds do not need any special treatment to germinate. Sow in early spring, either where they are to grow or in seed trays for later transplant. Scatter seeds on the surface and cover with a very thin layer of compost, soil or vermiculite.
Will also self-seed if left alone and young plants can be dug up in early summer and replanted (it can be best to plant in pots first, particularly if the weather is hot and dry, then plant out when a good root system has formed).
Division:
Lift and divide mature clumps in late spring when the leaves first appear. Plant divisions in pots of general-purpose compost and keep moist and shaded until roots appear through the bottom of the pot. They can then be planted out.
Harvesting and eating:
We don’t yet have enough plants to dig them up and eat the roots, so we can’t comment on how appetizing they are or how to cook them (if anyone has experience of this, we’d be interested to learn about it). We use the young leaves raw in salads and as a garnish on soups and other cooked dishes. Older leaves are very nice cooked in stir-fries or chopped and added to soups towards the end of cooking time. Flowers are delicious added to salads and make an attractive and tasty garnish for cooked dishes.