| Allium caesium | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Amaryllidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Allioideae |
| Genus: | Allium |
| Subgenus: | A. subg. Allium |
| Species: | A. caesium |
| Binomial name | |
| Allium caesium Schrenk | |
| Synonyms | |
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Allium caesium, light blue garlic, is a species of herbaceous perennial flowering plant native to central Asia (Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). It grows in deserts and dry fields at elevations of 700–2,000 m (2,300–6,600 ft).
Allium caesium is typically about 30–40 cm (12–16 in) tall, and grows best in full sun to partial shade. It produces round bulbs up to 15 mm across. The scapes are up to 65 cm (26 in) tall. The leaves are round in cross-section, and slightly shorter than the scapes. The flowers are sky-blue. They typically appear in the summer (June to August in England) and attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The Latin specific epithet caesium means "grey-blue".
In cultivation in the UK, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In the US it is suitable for hardiness zones 4-7.
References
- The Plant List
- ^ Flora of China v 24 p 199
- "Allium caesium". Farmer Gracy. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
- Schrenk, Alexander Gustav von. 1844. Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 2: 113.
- Regel, Eduard August von. 1873. Gartenflora 22:236.
- "Allium caesium". Ballyrobert Gardens. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
- Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 978-1845337315.
- "Allium caesium". Royal Horticultural Society. 2002. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- "Allium caesium". www.johnscheepers.com. Retrieved 2021-05-27.