Common Name: golden garlic
Type: Bulb
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Native Range: Southern and southwestern Europe
Zone: 3 to 9
Height: 0.75 to 1.50 feet
Spread: 0.50 to 0.75 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Description: Yellow
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Leaf: Fragrant
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Deer, Black Walnut
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best in full sun, but appreciates some light afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Tolerates a wide range of soils. Best in rich, sandy loams. Plant bulbs in fall. Plants will naturalize by both offsets and self-seeding, and a modest planting of bulbs can colonize an area rather quickly in optimum growing conditions. Not considered overly aggressive, however. Deadhead flowers before seed sets to help control any unwanted spread.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Allium moly ornamental flowering onion which is noted for its star-shaped, 1/2” diameter, bright yellow flowers which appear in loose clusters (umbels) atop leafless stalks (9-15” tall) in late spring and its flat, tulip-like, blue-green, basal leaves (to 2” wide and 12” long) which appear in 2s. All parts of this plant have an oniony smell when cut or bruised, however this plant is generally considered to be a non-edible ornamental. Also commonly called lily leek and golden garlic.
Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for garlic.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Rock gardens, border fronts, cottage gardens or naturalized areas. Particularly effective when naturalized or grown in wide drifts.