A bizarre and yet beautiful allium that draws the eye by its arresting, almost primordial looks. By late spring the tip of each 40-50cm stem holds an intriguing round green knob. It slowly unfolds into huge, spiderlike, spiky ball of amethyst-purple flowers.
When mature the heads measure up to 30cm across and the bulbs need to be planted where their crazy form can be appreciated. After flowering it forms strikingly decorative seedheads which last a long time either in the garden or as a dry flower. Native to Israel and hardy in Holland if given a warm, sunny situation. Further north the bulbs are better grown in pots which should be stored cool and dry over winter.
