Japanese name: アリウム ウニフォリウム Scientific name:Allium unifolium
[Overview]
A perennial that forms a small egg-shaped bulb underground.
2–3 leaves grow from the base, flat and strap-like, up to 50 cm long.
The leaves begin to wither at flowering time.
A flower stalk about 0.4 m tall stands upright and bears an umbel at its tip with about 30 flowers.
The inflorescence is at first enclosed in bracts.
The flowers are pink, with 6 tepals that open in a star shape.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed; it takes several years from sowing to flowering.
The bulbs do not multiply readily, but division is possible.
It dislikes acidic soil.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil.
Take care that it does not become extremely dry, and during the growing period water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Apply basal fertilizer, and from spring until flowering give liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks.
The flower stalks stand upright, so plant it in a place sheltered from strong wind or provide stakes.
If you are not collecting seed, cut the flower stalk at the base when flowering is over so the plant does not become exhausted.
When the leaves begin to wither, dig up the bulbs and store them in a shady, well-ventilated place.
If the site is sunny and well drained, pests and diseases rarely occur.
